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/dartmouth-alumni-magazine-profiles-king-as-man-in-the-middle,Dartmouth Alumni Magazine Profiles King as “Man In The Middle”,2013-12-31,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Dartmouth Alumni Magazine Profiles King as “Man In The Middle” Tuesday, December 31, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – In case you missed it, the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine last Friday published a profile of U.S. Senator Angus King (Class of ’66) entitled “Man In The Middle” in which author Matthew Mosk captures King’s role in resolving the student loan crises, his thoughts on the October government shutdown, and his broader efforts at tackling partisanship in the U.S. Senate. In addition to Senator King, Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), John Hoeven (R-ND), and Rob Portman (R-OH) are also graduates of Dartmouth College. The profile is below and can also be read by clicking here. +++ Man In The Middle  Independent Maine Sen. Angus King ’66 went to Washington, D.C., hoping to help opposing parties find common ground. Frustration has set in. It is the morning of September 11, 2013, and on this day, for a change, no one on Capitol Hill is talking about the looming impasse on the federal budget. Syria has been accused of using chemical weapons, and a fierce debate over the correct response is under way. On one side of Congress are the hawks who, like President Obama, say a red line has been crossed in a manner that demands a military response. On the other side, a sizable coalition that is weary of war and uneasy about the fallout of a strike in the Middle East. Then there is Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine who finds himself in a familiar posture—standing in the middle. King arrived in Washington, D.C., last January as the newest of four U.S. senators from Dartmouth. After eight years as governor of Maine and an almost 10-year hiatus from public office, he won handily a tumultuous three-way Senate campaign with 53 percent of the vote, becoming only the second member of the chamber not affiliated with a major political party. (He caucuses with the Democrats.) King assumed the seat vacated by three-term moderate Republican Olympia Snowe, who left, she said, because Congress had become an impossible place from which to govern effectively. King’s campaign promised not just a moderate, business-friendly agenda that was left-leaning on social issues but also to do what Snowe considered impossible: provide a bridge between the increasingly factionalized parties to get things done. “He’s independent and a problem solver,” actor Sam Waterston of Law & Order said in a television ad for King that aired in the closing weeks of the campaign. “I think they’re afraid of Angus in Washington, which might be the best reason to send him there.” Today King is in his office suite for a weekly open house. Tall and lean, with the ruddy, stiff-jawed look of a Maine lobsterman, King smiles warmly as a staff member snaps photographs of the senator with organic dairy producers and members of the New England Farmers Union. A Los Angeles Times reporter briefly corners King in his conference room. The Syria question was the first one keeping him up at night since he took office, King says. “I am trying to learn as much as I can to understand the ramifications of this question, which are enormous,” he says. “Is there more risk to the national interest in doing nothing, or is there more risk to the national interest in acting?” With the help of his staff King ends the interview quickly and returns his attention to the dairy farmers. The Syria question would resolve itself before King was forced to take a firm stance, and in a matter of days focus would be back on the issue that has most stymied Washington in recent times: the budget. Across the Capitol complex in the House, the first rumblings are emerging that a government shutdown is looming. In part because of the deep divisions it would emphasize, the shutdown would present an enormous opportunity for King. It could become the first test of his desire to snuff out gridlock and dysfunction. The Real Thing King’s childhood in the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington offers few clues to his political leanings. He describes his parents as Roosevelt Democrats but says he grew up a fan of President Eisenhower. King applied to Dartmouth, sight unseen, because between his junior and senior years in high school his sister married Dartmouth alum Jim Neff  ’59, “and I liked the guys at the wedding,” he says. King’s interest in politics was immediate. He recalls, in detail, the lectures of longtime Dartmouth government professor Vincent Starzinger. “I remember him using the movie The African Queen to explain the two different views of natural law,” King says. “Humphrey Bogart wakes up in the boat to see Katharine Hepburn dumping his gin out into the river, and he’s very upset. He says to Hepburn, ‘It’s only natural, ma’am, that a man should want to drink every now and then.’ That’s one view of natural law. Hepburn said, ‘Nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we are here to rise above.’ That’s the other view of natural law. It has been 50 years and I remember every word of that lecture.” Larry K. Smith, a former Dartmouth history professor now retired after a career in Washington, remembers “Gus” in “History 56,” the political history of the United States since 1864. The class, which was a study in power and how it’s used politically, Smith says, attracted ambitious students. When political discussions would get going, “you could feel the heat in the room,” he recalls. King stood out: “For all of his prestige on campus, you never got the sense that he was a politician of any sort. And yet he was clearly recognized to be the class of his class. He carried himself with such ease and grace.” Despite his clear interest in politics, King’s involvement was largely as an observer. He worked at WDCR and traveled in 1964 to New York City to broadcast results from the Goldwater-Johnson election. “We were part of a national college radio election-night program, and it was like our own NBC,” King says. “We got results. I was a commentator, talking about who was winning and who was losing and what it meant.” A year earlier, Dartmouth students had learned of the Kennedy assassination listening to WDCR. They heard the news from King, who broke into a music program to report as the day’s events came over a teletype machine. (King says he carried the printout announcing Kennedy’s death in his wallet for decades until it finally crumbled into pieces.) The radio job helped prepare King for the career he forged after law school and a brief stint on Capitol Hill with Maine’s Democratic Sen. William Hathaway—as a television interviewer and commentator on the public broadcast affiliate in Maine. He moved from there into the alternative energy industry. It was from this business perch that King followed a path into politics as an independent. Throughout his tenure as governor King’s approval numbers in statewide polls never dipped below 50 percent. Still, competing views formed about him. One Maine Republican—a Dartmouth alum who previously worked in government—agreed to provide his view of King in a series of emails on the condition he not be identified. He says, “King seems the ultimate ‘hail fellow well met’ with the balm of an aphorism for every situation, even if he has never seen it before…and really knows little about it.” The GOP critic says he considers King “a faux independent,” a Democrat who does not want to admit his leanings. Others, including his early mentor Smith, say the politician’s independence comes from deep within. “People will use the rhetoric of being a moderate and it’s crap,” says Smith. “With Gus it’s a real thing. There are phony moderates or phony independents who are often unwilling to take positions. Gus takes positions and does so as a matter of conviction. It just happens that his convictions don’t fit neatly into either party. Fortunately for him, he comes from a state that enables him to run as that person.” King says that when he arrived in Washington he knew there would be doubts about him on both sides of the aisle. When he first approached Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) to talk about his ideas on regulatory reform, King says he expected skepticism. At that point he was known only as the man the National Republican Senatorial Committee spent $1.2 million trying to defeat in 2012. “I’m sitting with Roy telling him my views on regulatory reform,” King says, “and I could see his expression change, like, ‘This isn’t the guy I thought he was. Why did we spend a million dollars to kill this guy?’ ” An Issue That Resonates King’s first real foray into the murky political waters of the U.S. Senate came almost by accident. It was May of 2013 and a member of his staff had flagged one of the Senate’s many looming deadlines: Without congressional action the interest rate on federally subsidized Stafford student loans was poised to double on July 1 from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. “It seemed to fit philosophically with some of the things that the senator has taken issue with down here, these sort of artificial deadlines, lurching from year to year, without really coming up with long-term, sustainable solutions,” one King staffer explains. In many ways the student loan issue presented an ideal political opportunity for King. On one side were liberal Democrats led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who believed the government should support a subsidized loan program that would greatly relieve the financial burden facing college students, even if it came with a hefty price tag. On the other side were Republicans whose proposal, very similar to Obama’s, was for a market-based loan program that operated much like traditional loans, giving students competitive borrowing rates while possibly turning a profit. King and a small coalition of senators including Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) decided they would try to create a revenue-neutral program that fell somewhere between the rival versions. In June, when senators were presented with votes on the Democratic and Republican versions of the student loan bill, King and Manchin broke ranks and voted against both of them. King released a statement to the press saying he believed “that we can bridge the differences between the competing proposals to reach a compromise solution that can acquire wide support. We just need to set the politics aside and do the work.” The rogue group of senators drafted its proposal and introduced it in late June, just days before the loan rates would double. At first their attempts to bring more senators on board met with resistance. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), the powerful committee chairman who oversaw education issues, was not happy with their proposal. A number of Republicans were also skeptical that rates could be brought down without costing the federal government. As the deadline passed, a second attempt was made to bring the Democratic plan to the floor for a vote, but it again fell short. Once that failed, the president got involved. King, along with Manchin and Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) were summoned to the White House, where they found Harkin and Burr waiting with Obama. The goal was to broker a compromise bill. “The president wanted this off his plate,” King’s staffer explains. After the meeting the number of senators willing to vote for the King-Manchin bill started to rise. During the course of several weeks King tried to keep an accurate count of his bill’s support, but it was tough. Every time he would shave off a section to bring more Democrats on board, he risked losing support from Republicans. When the date for the vote finally came, King’s staff had calculated they had just barely enough support for the measure to pass. When the vote got under way, Durbin, whose job as Senate majority whip is to muster and keep count of votes, walked up to King on the floor and handed him a small scrap of paper. It had a number on it: “74”—a projected tally of “aye” votes. The bill, King realized then, was going to pass. King was near the center of a group of Republicans and Democrats hovering over Obama on August 9 as the president prepared to sign the bill into law. The president praised the “extraordinary coalition” that had led to the passage of the compromise bill, then noted wryly, “It feels good signing bills. I haven’t done this in a while. Hint, hint. Hint, hint.” Shutdown The government shutdown has been under way for two days and back in a plush Senate conference room King is speaking to representatives from a group of Maine credit unions who stopped in to visit him that day. He is offering his take on the Tea Party’s budget maneuvers: “I remember in college we heard a great way to make money. Do you know the story about how to make money with a cocker spaniel and a gun? You put a picture up that says, send $10 or I shoot the dog,” King smiles. “I didn’t say that, did I?” Back in his office King explains that he has given deep thought to this impasse and its causes. Because of the way congressional districts have been drawn, members of Congress for the most part occupy safe seats—until they are threatened by primary opponents from the most orthodox wings of their parties. “We can have broad national consensus that this shutdown is a bad idea, and it’s not going to affect an individual member as he or she looks to their district in Louisiana or Tennessee or Idaho or wherever it is. If that Republican electorate is fired up and wants to kill Obamacare or shut down the government, there’s no political incentive for that person to sit down and talk,” King says. “That’s dangerous.” More than that, King has fixed his concern on what he sees as a new and dangerous approach to legislating that he believes Tea Party Republicans are employing. He pulls out a paper that he says contains a list of demands House Republicans have made in order to get them to pass a budget and reopen the government. He rattles them off, growing increasingly incredulous with each alleged demand. “This small group in the House is trying to create a new way of legislating that’s not in the Constitution,” King protests. “You legislate by passing a bill through the House, passing it through the Senate and sending it to the president. They’re saying, ‘We don’t have the votes to do that, therefore we’re going to grab the entire U.S. government or the credit of the entire U.S. government and say we won’t do anything unless you legislate what we want—unless you agree to what we want.’ That’s not the way the system was designed.” King insists he is not ready to give up. He has, for instance, joined a group of moderate House and Senate members who began meeting in hopes of cobbling together a budget document both sides could live with. He has also joined a group of 14 senators formed by his Maine colleague, Republican Sen. Susan Collins, to try to piece together a deal. “Right now is a moment of maximum frustration,” he says. “My whole deal is trying to find common ground and find solutions. What’s holding me up is that I don’t know if you want to find common ground in a situation where you’re being held hostage. If you do, this will be the routine way we’ll do business around here. “It goes against my basic orientation of trying to find solutions,” he says. It is inescapable, King realizes now, that the nation’s capital is different than it was 40 years ago, when he first came to town as a Senate staffer. In 1973, he says, there were probably 20 senators who overlapped ideologically—moderate Republicans who were arguably more liberal than conservative Democrats. “Now there are literally none,” King says. The 2013 federal government shutdown lasts for 16 days and, according to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, it is expected to have cost the U.S. economy between $2 and $6 billion in economic output. It is resolved not by diplomacy from moderate politicians looking to broker an agreement, but by wrenching public pressure and a short-term fix of the sort King has publicly protested. A month has passed when King, brimming with good cheer, arrives in the sleek television studio that is hidden away in the basement of the Capitol Visitor Center. Bright theater lights hang from the ceiling and a variety of sets include a fireplace, a Christmas tree with wrapped presents and a modern-looking TV news desk. King takes a seat in front of what appear to be French doors and an American flag. He is about to hold a 45-minute Skype conversation with social studies students at Mt. Ararat High School back home in Maine. The father of five is jovial and at ease. Such talks, which he calls “Capitol Class with Angus,” are a staple of King’s tenure. He explains to the students that, as a member of a committee tasked with finding solutions to the problems that led to the shutdown, he sits at the center of negotiations to develop a budget. “We had our first meeting last week,” he says. “There are a lot of behind-the-scenes negotiations going on now as we try to arrive at an agreement that will make everyone equally unhappy, I guess is the best way to put it.” Students then rotate into a seat in front of the camera to ask how he juggles his work and personal life, whether he plans to seek reelection and what he considers his greatest challenges. A student named Emma takes the seat and asks King what it means for him to be an independent in Washington. “It gives me the opportunity to work across the aisle and try to find solutions,” he continues. “It was amazing when I first got here and I went around meeting senators. A number of them said, sort of almost under their breath, ‘Boy, you’re in just the right place.’ They really liked the idea that I could try to build bridges, and in fact that’s what we’ve tried to do.” King tempered that sunny view from the center shortly after the Skype conversation ended and he headed back to business. “I’m very optimistic that the partisanship can be overcome when the challenge is a small- or intermediate-sized issue,” he says, hearkening back to his experience with the student loan legislation. “But on the big issues…,” he pauses. “I’ll be honest with you, on the big issues I’m just not so optimistic.” Matthew Mosk, an Emmy-winning investigative reporter for ABC News in Washington, D.C., lives in Annapolis, Maryland. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/article/man-in-the-middle,Man In The Middle,2013-12-27,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Man In The Middle Independent Maine Sen. Angus King ’66 went to Washington, D.C., hoping to help opposing parties find common ground. Frustration has set in. By:  Matthew Mosk Friday, December 27, 2013 It is the morning of September 11, 2013, and on this day, for a change, no one on Capitol Hill is talking about the looming impasse on the federal budget. Syria has been accused of using chemical weapons, and a fierce debate over the correct response is under way. On one side of Congress are the hawks who, like President Obama, say a red line has been crossed in a manner that demands a military response. On the other side, a sizable coalition that is weary of war and uneasy about the fallout of a strike in the Middle East. Then there is Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine who finds himself in a familiar posture—standing in the middle. King arrived in Washington, D.C., last January as the newest of four U.S. senators from Dartmouth. After eight years as governor of Maine and an almost 10-year hiatus from public office, he won handily a tumultuous three-way Senate campaign with 53 percent of the vote, becoming only the second member of the chamber not affiliated with a major political party. (He caucuses with the Democrats.) King assumed the seat vacated by three-term moderate Republican Olympia Snowe, who left, she said, because Congress had become an impossible place from which to govern effectively. King’s campaign promised not just a moderate, business-friendly agenda that was left-leaning on social issues but also to do what Snowe considered impossible: provide a bridge between the increasingly factionalized parties to get things done. “He’s independent and a problem solver,” actor Sam Waterston of Law & Order said in a television ad for King that aired in the closing weeks of the campaign. “I think they’re afraid of Angus in Washington, which might be the best reason to send him there.” Today King is in his office suite for a weekly open house. Tall and lean, with the ruddy, stiff-jawed look of a Maine lobsterman, King smiles warmly as a staff member snaps photographs of the senator with organic dairy producers and members of the New England Farmers Union. A Los Angeles Times reporter briefly corners King in his conference room. The Syria question was the first one keeping him up at night since he took office, King says. “I am trying to learn as much as I can to understand the ramifications of this question, which are enormous,” he says. “Is there more risk to the national interest in doing nothing, or is there more risk to the national interest in acting?” With the help of his staff King ends the interview quickly and returns his attention to the dairy farmers. The Syria question would resolve itself before King was forced to take a firm stance, and in a matter of days focus would be back on the issue that has most stymied Washington in recent times: the budget. Across the Capitol complex in the House, the first rumblings are emerging that a government shutdown is looming. In part because of the deep divisions it would emphasize, the shutdown would present an enormous opportunity for King. It could become the first test of his desire to snuff out gridlock and dysfunction. The Real Thing King’s childhood in the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington offers few clues to his political leanings. He describes his parents as Roosevelt Democrats but says he grew up a fan of President Eisenhower. King applied to Dartmouth, sight unseen, because between his junior and senior years in high school his sister married Dartmouth alum Jim Neff  ’59, “and I liked the guys at the wedding,” he says. King’s interest in politics was immediate. He recalls, in detail, the lectures of longtime Dartmouth government professor Vincent Starzinger. “I remember him using the movie The African Queen to explain the two different views of natural law,” King says. “Humphrey Bogart wakes up in the boat to see Katharine Hepburn dumping his gin out into the river, and he’s very upset. He says to Hepburn, ‘It’s only natural, ma’am, that a man should want to drink every now and then.’ That’s one view of natural law. Hepburn said, ‘Nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we are here to rise above.’ That’s the other view of natural law. It has been 50 years and I remember every word of that lecture.” Larry K. Smith, a former Dartmouth history professor now retired after a career in Washington, remembers “Gus” in “History 56,” the political history of the United States since 1864. The class, which was a study in power and how it’s used politically, Smith says, attracted ambitious students. When political discussions would get going, “you could feel the heat in the room,” he recalls. King stood out: “For all of his prestige on campus, you never got the sense that he was a politician of any sort. And yet he was clearly recognized to be the class of his class. He carried himself with such ease and grace.” Despite his clear interest in politics, King’s involvement was largely as an observer. He worked at WDCR and traveled in 1964 to New York City to broadcast results from the Goldwater-Johnson election. “We were part of a national college radio election-night program, and it was like our own NBC,” King says. “We got results. I was a commentator, talking about who was winning and who was losing and what it meant.” A year earlier, Dartmouth students had learned of the Kennedy assassination listening to WDCR. They heard the news from King, who broke into a music program to report as the day’s events came over a teletype machine. (King says he carried the printout announcing Kennedy’s death in his wallet for decades until it finally crumbled into pieces.) The radio job helped prepare King for the career he forged after law school and a brief stint on Capitol Hill with Maine’s Democratic Sen. William Hathaway—as a television interviewer and commentator on the public broadcast affiliate in Maine. He moved from there into the alternative energy industry. It was from this business perch that King followed a path into politics as an independent. Throughout his tenure as governor King’s approval numbers in statewide polls never dipped below 50 percent. Still, competing views formed about him. One Maine Republican—a Dartmouth alum who previously worked in government—agreed to provide his view of King in a series of emails on the condition he not be identified. He says, “King seems the ultimate ‘hail fellow well met’ with the balm of an aphorism for every situation, even if he has never seen it before…and really knows little about it.” The GOP critic says he considers King “a faux independent,” a Democrat who does not want to admit his leanings. Others, including his early mentor Smith, say the politician’s independence comes from deep within. “People will use the rhetoric of being a moderate and it’s crap,” says Smith. “With Gus it’s a real thing. There are phony moderates or phony independents who are often unwilling to take positions. Gus takes positions and does so as a matter of conviction. It just happens that his convictions don’t fit neatly into either party. Fortunately for him, he comes from a state that enables him to run as that person.” King says that when he arrived in Washington he knew there would be doubts about him on both sides of the aisle. When he first approached Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) to talk about his ideas on regulatory reform, King says he expected skepticism. At that point he was known only as the man the National Republican Senatorial Committee spent $1.2 million trying to defeat in 2012. “I’m sitting with Roy telling him my views on regulatory reform,” King says, “and I could see his expression change, like, ‘This isn’t the guy I thought he was. Why did we spend a million dollars to kill this guy?’ ” An Issue That Resonates King’s first real foray into the murky political waters of the U.S. Senate came almost by accident. It was May of 2013 and a member of his staff had flagged one of the Senate’s many looming deadlines: Without congressional action the interest rate on federally subsidized Stafford student loans was poised to double on July 1 from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. “It seemed to fit philosophically with some of the things that the senator has taken issue with down here, these sort of artificial deadlines, lurching from year to year, without really coming up with long-term, sustainable solutions,” one King staffer explains. In many ways the student loan issue presented an ideal political opportunity for King. On one side were liberal Democrats led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who believed the government should support a subsidized loan program that would greatly relieve the financial burden facing college students, even if it came with a hefty price tag. On the other side were Republicans whose proposal, very similar to Obama’s, was for a market-based loan program that operated much like traditional loans, giving students competitive borrowing rates while possibly turning a profit. King and a small coalition of senators including Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) decided they would try to create a revenue-neutral program that fell somewhere between the rival versions. In June, when senators were presented with votes on the Democratic and Republican versions of the student loan bill, King and Manchin broke ranks and voted against both of them. King released a statement to the press saying he believed “that we can bridge the differences between the competing proposals to reach a compromise solution that can acquire wide support. We just need to set the politics aside and do the work.” The rogue group of senators drafted its proposal and introduced it in late June, just days before the loan rates would double. At first their attempts to bring more senators on board met with resistance. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), the powerful committee chairman who oversaw education issues, was not happy with their proposal. A number of Republicans were also skeptical that rates could be brought down without costing the federal government. As the deadline passed, a second attempt was made to bring the Democratic plan to the floor for a vote, but it again fell short. Once that failed, the president got involved. King, along with Manchin and Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) were summoned to the White House, where they found Harkin and Burr waiting with Obama. The goal was to broker a compromise bill. “The president wanted this off his plate,” King’s staffer explains. After the meeting the number of senators willing to vote for the King-Manchin bill started to rise. During the course of several weeks King tried to keep an accurate count of his bill’s support, but it was tough. Every time he would shave off a section to bring more Democrats on board, he risked losing support from Republicans. When the date for the vote finally came, King’s staff had calculated they had just barely enough support for the measure to pass. When the vote got under way, Durbin, whose job as Senate majority whip is to muster and keep count of votes, walked up to King on the floor and handed him a small scrap of paper. It had a number on it: “74”—a projected tally of “aye” votes. The bill, King realized then, was going to pass. King was near the center of a group of Republicans and Democrats hovering over Obama on August 9 as the president prepared to sign the bill into law. The president praised the “extraordinary coalition” that had led to the passage of the compromise bill, then noted wryly, “It feels good signing bills. I haven’t done this in a while. Hint, hint. Hint, hint.” Shutdown The government shutdown has been under way for two days and back in a plush Senate conference room King is speaking to representatives from a group of Maine credit unions who stopped in to visit him that day. He is offering his take on the Tea Party’s budget maneuvers: “I remember in college we heard a great way to make money. Do you know the story about how to make money with a cocker spaniel and a gun? You put a picture up that says, send $10 or I shoot the dog,” King smiles. “I didn’t say that, did I?” Back in his office King explains that he has given deep thought to this impasse and its causes. Because of the way congressional districts have been drawn, members of Congress for the most part occupy safe seats—until they are threatened by primary opponents from the most orthodox wings of their parties. “We can have broad national consensus that this shutdown is a bad idea, and it’s not going to affect an individual member as he or she looks to their district in Louisiana or Tennessee or Idaho or wherever it is. If that Republican electorate is fired up and wants to kill Obamacare or shut down the government, there’s no political incentive for that person to sit down and talk,” King says. “That’s dangerous.” More than that, King has fixed his concern on what he sees as a new and dangerous approach to legislating that he believes Tea Party Republicans are employing. He pulls out a paper that he says contains a list of demands House Republicans have made in order to get them to pass a budget and reopen the government. He rattles them off, growing increasingly incredulous with each alleged demand. “This small group in the House is trying to create a new way of legislating that’s not in the Constitution,” King protests. “You legislate by passing a bill through the House, passing it through the Senate and sending it to the president. They’re saying, ‘We don’t have the votes to do that, therefore we’re going to grab the entire U.S. government or the credit of the entire U.S. government and say we won’t do anything unless you legislate what we want—unless you agree to what we want.’ That’s not the way the system was designed.” King insists he is not ready to give up. He has, for instance, joined a group of moderate House and Senate members who began meeting in hopes of cobbling together a budget document both sides could live with. He has also joined a group of 14 senators formed by his Maine colleague, Republican Sen. Susan Collins, to try to piece together a deal. “Right now is a moment of maximum frustration,” he says. “My whole deal is trying to find common ground and find solutions. What’s holding me up is that I don’t know if you want to find common ground in a situation where you’re being held hostage. If you do, this will be the routine way we’ll do business around here. “It goes against my basic orientation of trying to find solutions,” he says. It is inescapable, King realizes now, that the nation’s capital is different than it was 40 years ago, when he first came to town as a Senate staffer. In 1973, he says, there were probably 20 senators who overlapped ideologically—moderate Republicans who were arguably more liberal than conservative Democrats. “Now there are literally none,” King says. The 2013 federal government shutdown lasts for 16 days and, according to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, it is expected to have cost the U.S. economy between $2 and $6 billion in economic output. It is resolved not by diplomacy from moderate politicians looking to broker an agreement, but by wrenching public pressure and a short-term fix of the sort King has publicly protested. A month has passed when King, brimming with good cheer, arrives in the sleek television studio that is hidden away in the basement of the Capitol Visitor Center. Bright theater lights hang from the ceiling and a variety of sets include a fireplace, a Christmas tree with wrapped presents and a modern-looking TV news desk. King takes a seat in front of what appear to be French doors and an American flag. He is about to hold a 45-minute Skype conversation with social studies students at Mt. Ararat High School back home in Maine. The father of five is jovial and at ease. Such talks, which he calls “Capitol Class with Angus,” are a staple of King’s tenure. He explains to the students that, as a member of a committee tasked with finding solutions to the problems that led to the shutdown, he sits at the center of negotiations to develop a budget. “We had our first meeting last week,” he says. “There are a lot of behind-the-scenes negotiations going on now as we try to arrive at an agreement that will make everyone equally unhappy, I guess is the best way to put it.” Students then rotate into a seat in front of the camera to ask how he juggles his work and personal life, whether he plans to seek reelection and what he considers his greatest challenges. A student named Emma takes the seat and asks King what it means for him to be an independent in Washington. “It gives me the opportunity to work across the aisle and try to find solutions,” he continues. “It was amazing when I first got here and I went around meeting senators. A number of them said, sort of almost under their breath, ‘Boy, you’re in just the right place.’ They really liked the idea that I could try to build bridges, and in fact that’s what we’ve tried to do.” King tempered that sunny view from the center shortly after the Skype conversation ended and he headed back to business. “I’m very optimistic that the partisanship can be overcome when the challenge is a small- or intermediate-sized issue,” he says, hearkening back to his experience with the student loan legislation. “But on the big issues…,” he pauses. “I’ll be honest with you, on the big issues I’m just not so optimistic.” Matthew Mosk, an Emmy-winning investigative reporter for ABC News in Washington, D.C., lives in Annapolis, Maryland.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-collins-king-introduce-legislation-to-assist-maine-veterans-who-trained-at-cfb-gagetown,"Senators Collins, King Introduce Legislation to Assist Maine Veterans Who Trained at CFB Gagetown",2013-12-27,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senators Collins, King Introduce Legislation to Assist Maine Veterans Who Trained at CFB Gagetown Friday, December 27, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King have introduced legislation that would help Maine veterans with claims made to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) contending they have suffered from health problems as a result of being exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange during military training at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Gagetown.  For years, veterans who trained at Gagetown have attempted to gain recognition from the VA that their health problems stem from exposure to Agent Orange, which was previously sprayed there in 1966 and 1967.    The bill would direct the VA to establish a registry of U.S. veterans who have served or trained at CFB Gagetown and who have subsequently experienced health problems, which may be related to this chemical exposure.   The establishment of a registry will provide veterans with a way to make their claims known to the VA and to identify commonalities among their shared experiences.  It also provides the VA with a mechanism to reach out to veterans concerned with this specific issue.   In addition, the Collins-King bill requires the VA to commission an independent study tasked with investigating the linkage between service at Gagetown and the development of health problems and disease associated with exposure to Agent Orange.  Unfortunately, a previous study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relied exclusively on previous Canadian studies and included no new research, such as interviews with those who trained at CFB Gagetown.   “Protecting the health of those who have served our nation is a solemn responsibility, and I have raised this issue directly with Secretary of the VA Eric Shinseki,” said Senator Collins.  “Just as the Government of Canada found a way to offer compensation to service members exposed to toxic herbicides at Gagetown, the VA should likewise be able to find a way to recognize the similar concerns voiced by Maine veterans.”   “Through their service, our veterans have demonstrated an unyielding commitment to our nation, and in return, our country has a duty to protect their health and well-being,” Senator King said. “I am hopeful that this piece of legislation will bring us a step closer to providing more robust answers for Maine’s veterans who served at Gagetown, and I am proud to join Senator Collins in that effort.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-roll-call-names-student-loan-deal-as-one-of-top-8-congressional-accomplishments-for-2013,ICYMI: Roll Call Names Student Loan Deal as One of Top 8 Congressional Accomplishments for 2013,2013-12-21,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"ICYMI: Roll Call Names Student Loan Deal as One of Top 8 Congressional Accomplishments for 2013 Saturday, December 21, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – In case you missed it, last Tuesday Roll Call columnist David Hawkings penned an article outlining the major accomplishments and shortcomings of the 113th Congress. In his piece, “Lackluster Final Score for Congress This Year: 8 to 22, Hawkings names this summer’s student loan compromise as one of the top eight “most important things the 113th Congress did.” The agreement to revamp the student loan system was brokered in large part by Senator King along with Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Tom Carper (D-DE), Tom Coburn (R-OK), Richard Burr (R-NC), and Lamar Alexander (R-TN). The article can be read by clicking here and is below: Every lawmaker and staffer who’s about to head home for the holidays knows to expect to spend the break answering some version of the same dreaded and derisive question: What’s it like, being a part of the least productive Congress in modern times? Here are two simple numbers for prolonging the uncomfortable conversation: 8 and 22. Assuming the Senate does everything it’s expected to do this week, eight undeniably consequential things actually will have been completed at the Capitol this year. But another 22 relatively big legislative goals — some set by one party, but plenty claimed by both sides — will have been left at various points along the wayside. The narrative’s been set for months: Record gridlock will be the “historic” hallmark affixed to the first session of the 113th Congress. Yes, there are the easy caveats: There are always limits to making laws in a divided government. Some of the most important issues of our time are too complex to solve quickly. Writing legislation is not necessarily the best way to address a national problem. And not all bills are created equal; renaming a post office is, of course, not as credit-worthy as mandating peace in our time. Still, the 10-year extension of the ban on plastic firearms, which President Barack Obama signed a week ago, was only the 57th public law added to the books this year. And with the House gone for the year and the post-“nuclear” Senate in no mood to compromise on the little things during this final week, no more than a handful more measures will become statutes before 2014. There’s no way the total will reach 90 — the figure for 2011, which was the smallest annual legislative output since before World War II. As for the apples-to-apples comparisons to years when presidents were starting their second terms dealing with a divided Congress, the 2013 number will look even more meager. Bill Clinton signed 153 laws in 1997, Ronald Reagan wielded his pen 240 times in 1985, and Richard Nixon affixed his signature to 247 measures in 1973. Add to this numbers crunched over the weekend by the New York Times, which calculated that the House’s legislative weeks lasted an average of just 28 hours this year, while the Senate is on course to have the fewest days with roll calls a non-election year since 1991 — just more than 100, depending on how this week plays out. For all the people who will be forced to spend the next two weeks defending their role in the dysfunction — to their constituents or their in-laws — here’s a clip-and-save list of prompts for boasting about or deriding what did and did not get done in 2013. The 8 Most Important Things the 113th Congress Did The budget deal erased $45 billion in across-the-board cuts to domestic and military programs that were set to take effect in January, and another $19 billion due a year later, while leaving in place about $140 billion of the sequester for both this fiscal year and the next one. The additional discretionary spending would be more than offset by projected savings and non-tax revenue increases worth $85 billion in the next decade. The “nuclear option,” pushed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Democrats changed the Senate rules to eliminate the supermajority requirement for limiting debate on executive branch and most judicial nominations — from three-fifths of all senators to a simple majority of those present. It’s the biggest limitation on the powers of the minority party and the most fundamental alteration to the way the Senate functions since 1975. Confirmation of four new judges to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit shifts the ideological balance on the nation’s second-most influential federal bench. When the year began, four active judges on the court were nominees of Republican presidents and three had been picked by Democrats. The student loan interest rate system was revamped, principally by linking the rates to the government’s own cost of borrowing before the start of every school year, while also setting new caps. The compromise did away with a fixed interest rate that Congress had been under pressure to lower. The reach of the Violence Against Women Act was expanded so that gay and lesbian victims may benefit from the law’s legal assistance, transitional housing, law enforcement training and hotline programs, and the rules were eased for using tribal courts to prosecute non-Native Americans accused of sex crimes on reservations. Janet L. Yellen will likely be confirmed as the first woman to chair the Federal Reserve, the single-most-influential economic policymaking position in government. The Fed vice chairwoman for the past three years, she will be only the 15th person to wield the gavel in the central bank’s 100 year history. The Superstorm Sandy measure provided $50.5 billion to help local governments and individuals with recovery and reconstruction. After one of the most damaging storms ever hit the nation’s largest metropolitan area, the emergency aid was delayed 13 weeks because of disputes over whether the package was too generous or should be matched with offsetting cuts elsewhere in the budget. The defense authorization bill will likely be enacted for a 53rd consecutive year, a record of consistency unmatched by any other measure that’s supposed to be updated annually. The bill’s most notable feature is a package of provisions designed to stanch an epidemic of sexual assault in the armed forces. The 22 Most Important Things Congress Talked About, but Did Not Do No money was appropriated for any programs or agencies at the start of the new budget year, leading to a suspension of nonessential federal services for the first 16 days of October, the first such partial government shutdown since early 1996. The Affordable Care Act is still standing. House GOP efforts to repeal or make any substantive changes to the 2010 law also known as Obamacare hit a dead end in the Senate. Congress again failed to limit benefits provided by Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security, the biggest federal entitlement programs. Their projected annual growth rates pose the most substantial challenge to controlling annual federal deficits and the accumulated debt in the next two decades. Calls to simplify the federal tax code by reducing the number of exemptions, exclusions and expenditures, or extend a collection of routine and relatively non-controversial tax provisions again went unheeded. An expansion of the national background check system for prospective gun buyers, restrictions on the size of ammunition magazines and other efforts to tighten federal gun control laws in response to a series of high-profile mass shootings never made it out of the Senate. No substantive changes to immigration law — either by expanding border security or by creating a path to legal residency or citizenship for an estimated 11 million people living in the United States without documentation — were sent to the president. Proposals to combat climate change by reducing the national carbon footprint failed to advance, even as the scientific consensus solidified that human activity has been responsible for most of the global warming in recent decades. The No Child Left Behind law, seen by both parties as in need of a rewrite, has been due for an update since 2007. Zero reductions to crop subsidies for farmers and food stamp benefits for poor people were enacted as part of an attempted rewrite of the multiyear farm bill, which lapsed in 2012. Limits on the roles of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in the national housing market, either by ending or curtailing the government’s role as a guarantor of mortgages, did not advance. The National Security Agency’s collection of records of civilians’ telephone calls or other electronic communication remain administration policy, despite the furor over the breadth of the NSA spying programs. Despite intense debate over boosting sanctions on Iran and launching a strike on Syria to punish its use of chemical weapons, Congress did not proscribe any alterations to foreign policy. The Senate voted to prohibit businesses with more than 15 employees from discriminating against gays and lesbians, but the House never took it up. The Postal Service has yet to be overhauled so it can become financially viable in an era of declining mail volume. The federal minimum wage remains at $7.25 an hour, where it has been fixed since July 2009. States are still not allowed to require that online retailers outside their borders to collect sales taxes on goods purchased by their residents. The 35 sometimes duplicative programs providing employment and job-training aid to the states have not been streamlined. The formula for limiting Medicare payments to physicians, which has been routinely ignored since its 1997 creation with a series of annual “doc fix” bills, has not been replaced. The Voting Rights Act has not been updated in response to a Supreme Court decision overturning a central component. Congress has not outlawed most abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy, the new top legislative cause of the National Right to Life Committee. Regulatory and environmental reviews of federal water projects have not been expedited, nor has there been a revamp of the funding system for dredging and harbor maintenance. Jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed were not extended for 28 weeks beyond the usual expiration after six months. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/oped/-our-leaders-speak_-king-on-the-benefits-of-an-imperfect-budget,Our leaders speak - King on the benefits of an imperfect budget,2013-12-20,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Our leaders speak - King on the benefits of an imperfect budget By:  Senator Angus S. King, Jr. Friday, December 20, 2013 This week, for the first time in four years, Congress successfully passed a budget. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 is a two-year budget resolution that finally provides the American people with a measure of certainty regarding our country’s financial situation. The agreement is far from perfect and contains a number of provisions that I would not have included, but despite that I believe it represents an important step forward for this institution and the country. At time when Congressional approval ratings are at an all-time low, it demonstrates that we as lawmakers still have the ability to perform the most basic functions of government. The agreement, brokered by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI), represents a true compromise; the type that has been absent from Congress for far too long. They both began their work on the conference committee knowing that no deal was going to make everybody happy. However, after a lengthy process of back and forth negotiations, with each side offering concessions, they were able to reach a middle ground solution that sets our country on a path towards improved economic stability. The bill sets a spending limit for the current fiscal year– almost exactly halfway between the proposed Senate budget level and the proposed House budget level. It partially relieves the sequester over the next two years, which will alleviate the funding pressures on programs such as Meals on Wheels, Head Start, and local housing authorities that serve low-income individuals and families.  It maintains important deficit reductions that have already begun and will now continue; over the next ten years the agreement will reduce the federal deficit by more than $20 billion. In addition, after four years of short-term, stopgap budgetary fixes, this budget provides our federal agencies, our military, and countless businesses and families across the country with the financial predictability they need and deserve to plan for the coming years.  While some, both on the left and the right, have criticized the agreement for falling short of a “grand bargain,” those arguments ignore the substantial benefits it provides for our economy, for jobs in Maine and elsewhere, and for renewing the public’s confidence in Congress. One of the most frequent questions I am asked is, “what can Congress do to stimulate the economy?” Well, this is it – simply doing our job. Already this year partisan gridlock has left us with the sequester and pushed us into a government shutdown - both of which have hurt our economy, jeopardized our military readiness, and been an unnecessary burden on the American people. It’s time to move past this and the budget resolution is an important step in doing so. For the first time since 1986 a divided Congress has passed a budget resolution.  That’s a significant accomplishment and the fact that it got done at all should provide a stimulus to the economy. This is what the American people elected us to do. It is my hope that as we move into the next legislative session, my colleagues in Congress will continue to find ways to put aside their ideological differences and make decisions that are in the best interests of the country.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-king-praises-passage-of-defense-bill-with-measures-important-to-maine,Sen. King Praises Passage of Defense Bill with Measures Important to Maine,2013-12-20,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sen. King Praises Passage of Defense Bill with Measures Important to Maine Friday, December 20, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the support of U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), the Senate last night passed the Fiscal Year 2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by a vote of 84-15. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator King helped author the legislation which authorizes funding for the Department of Defense and national security programs under the Department of Energy. In addition to provisions that support members of the military and their families, provide for national defense, and combat sexual assault in the military, the bill also contains several policy and funding measures important to Maine’s defense-related industries. “Ensuring that our military men and women are provided the tools, resources, and support they need to protect our country and safeguard our freedoms is one of Congress’s most important responsibilities. This bill meets that fundamental obligation through cost-efficient provisions that support our servicemen and women and their families, provides for our national defense and security, and advances groundbreaking reforms to the military justice system to combat sexual assault in the military,” Senator King said. “The legislation also includes measures that will benefit Maine’s economy and contribute to stable jobs for people in defense-related industries across the state. As a member of the Armed Services Committee, I am proud to have played a role in crafting the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act, and I am pleased to see it receive such widespread and bipartisan support in the Senate this evening.” The following NDAA provisions are of particular importance to Maine: AUTHORIZATION OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR DDG-51: Senator King worked closely with Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Chairman of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower, to secure language that provides statutory authority for a $100 million funding increase to help procure the fifth option DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer. In August, the Navy awarded Bath Iron Works a $2.8 billion multi-year procurement contract to build four DDG-51s with the option for a fifth ship if the necessary funding could be secured by congressional appropriators under sequestration. SETTLEMENT OF A12 ISSUE: Senators King and Collins authored a provision enabling the Navy to accept the terms of a legal settlement with General Dynamics and Boeing under which General Dynamics will provide to the Navy the equivalent of $198 million in design, production, and delivery costs for components of the third Zumwalt-class destroyer to be built at Bath Iron Works. NO NEW BRAC ROUND: Senator King, along with his colleagues on the committee, rejected the President’s call in his Fiscal Year 2014 budget request for additional base closures under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. The last BRAC process occurred in 2005 when the Pentagon's recommendation to close the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard was ultimately overturned by the BRAC Commission, but their recommendation to close Brunswick Naval Air Station was accepted. ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZED FUNDING FOR DEFENSE-RELATED INDUSTRIES: $25.3 million for construction projects at military facilities in Maine, including structural shop consolidation efforts at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard $5.95 billion in Navy funds for procurement of Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, components of which are built at Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick and General Dynamics' facility in Saco $503 million in funding for research and development for the CH-53K marine helicopter, the rotor shaft for which is manufactured at Hunting Dearborn in Fryeburg $56.6 million for procurement of the Common Remotely Operated Weapons System, or CROWS, portions of which are built in Biddeford, South Paris, and Arundel $346 million for research and development of aerospace propulsion systems. The University of Maine conducts research on new propulsion and power technologies The 2014 NDAA includes several provisions supported by Senator King that make historic reforms to the Uniform Code of Military Justice that will provide assistance to victims of sexual assault and help to establish a no-tolerance climate in the military for sexual assault or for retaliation against those who report it. Reforms include: (1) An automatic review of any sexual assault case by a civilian Service Secretary when a commander overturns the recommendation of a military legal advisor to prosecute that case; (2) requirement that, when a military legal advisor recommends and a commander agrees not to refer a sexual assault case to trial by court martial, that the next higher level commander review that decision; and (3) criminalizes retaliation against a victim who reports a sexual assault.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-collins-king-statement-on-time-warners-decision-to-keep-necn-on-in-maine,"Senators Collins, King Statement on Time Warner’s Decision to Keep NECN on in Maine",2013-12-20,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senators Collins, King Statement on Time Warner’s Decision to Keep NECN on in Maine Friday, December 20, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today released this statement following the announcement by Time Warner Cable that it is reversing its decision and will continue to carry New England Cable News (NECN) in Maine. “Our offices heard from many constituents around Maine who were upset that they would lose access to the New England coverage that NECN provides.  We are pleased that Time Warner and NECN worked together to reach an agreement that is good for the companies and their customers.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-collins-king-announce-taa-benefits-for-flotation-technologies-workers-in-biddeford,"Senators Collins, King Announce TAA Benefits For Flotation Technologies Workers in Biddeford",2013-12-19,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senators Collins, King Announce TAA Benefits For Flotation Technologies Workers in Biddeford Thursday, December 19, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Labor has certified Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for workers at Flotation Technologies in Biddeford.  As a result, workers who will become totally or partially separated from employment are eligible for the TAA benefits which include reemployment services and training, as well as job search allowances. “It is certainly devastating for dedicated and hard-working employees, and their families, to lose their jobs through no fault of their own,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “The news that the Department of Labor has approved this application for Trade Adjustment Assistance will be critical to helping ensure that the Flotation Technologies workers and their families get all of the resources they need in the coming months.” Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) is a program of the Department of Labor that helps workers who have lost their jobs as a result of increased imports or a shift of production outside of the United States. TAA provides these trade-affected workers with a variety of reemployment services and benefits to help them find new jobs and get back to work. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sens-collins-king-voice-support-for-nomination-of-justice-jon-levy-to-us-district-court-for-maine,"Sens. Collins, King Voice Support for Nomination of Justice Jon Levy to U.S. District Court for Maine",2013-12-19,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sens. Collins, King Voice Support for Nomination of Justice Jon Levy to U.S. District Court for Maine Thursday, December 19, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in support of the nomination of Judge Jon D. Levy, of Portland, to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine. Levy, who currently serves on the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, was nominated for the position by President Obama in mid-September. You can watch Senators Collins’ and King’s remarks below. “I am pleased to join my colleague Senator King in recommending Justice Jon David Levy to serve on the United States District Court for the State of Maine,” said Senator Collins. “Justice Levy’s extensive experience as a state judge and in private practice makes him extremely well qualified for Maine’s federal district court.  His contributions to the Maine legal community and the juvenile justice system would give him a valuable perspective as a federal judge.  I am confident that if confirmed, Jon Levy will serve the people of Maine and the nation with great intelligence, integrity, and impartiality.” “As Governor I was proud to nominate Judge Levy to both the Maine District Court and the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, and now as Senator, I am honored to enthusiastically support his nomination to the U.S. District Court for Maine,” Senator King said following the hearing. “Jon’s strong legal credentials, his outstanding judicial temperament, and his dazzling intellectual abilities make him a supremely well-qualified candidate for Maine’s federal bench, and I urge my colleagues to fully support his nomination.” As Governor, Senator King nominated Levy to the Maine District Court in 1995 and then the Maine Supreme Judicial Court in 2002. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/statement-of-sens-king-warner-shaheen-landrieu-heitkamp-and-kaine-on-white-house-response-on-hardship-exemption,"Statement of Sens. King, Warner, Shaheen, Landrieu, Heitkamp, and Kaine on White House Response on Hardship Exemption",2013-12-19,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Statement of Sens. King, Warner, Shaheen, Landrieu, Heitkamp, and Kaine on White House Response on Hardship Exemption Thursday, December 19, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Angus King (I-ME), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) released the following joint statement after Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that some individuals who had their health plans cancelled will be automatically eligible for a hardship exemption that allows them to purchase a catastrophic plan on the health insurance marketplace. The Senators raised the issue in a joint letter to Secretary Sebelius on Dec. 19th. In addition, Secretary Sebelius today announced that the Administration has established a dedicated hotline for consumers with cancelled plans at 1-866-837-0677: “We are pleased that the Administration appears to have responded to the concerns we’ve raised. As a result, this clarifies an option that will help those consumers who have had their plans cancelled this year transition more smoothly into the marketplace.  We will closely monitor how the Administration implements this option, and we remain committed to proposing responsible solutions.”   The Senators’ letter to Secretary Sebelius is available here. Secretary Sebelius’s response is available here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/this-week-in-washington-king-highlights-budget-ndaa-judgeship-nomination-and-intel-hearing,"This Week in Washington: King Highlights Budget, NDAA, Judgeship Nomination, and Intel Hearing",2013-12-19,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"This Week in Washington: King Highlights Budget, NDAA, Judgeship Nomination, and Intel Hearing Thursday, December 19, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – As part of his ongoing effort to keep people at home apprised of his work in the nation’s capital, U.S. Senator Angus King took a few minutes to share this week’s accomplishments in the Senate.  In his weekly address Senator King discussed: Passage of the 2013 Bipartisan Budget Act which sets a spending limit for the current fiscal year, provides partial relief from the sequester, maintains important deficit reductions, and provides the American people with the sense of economic predictability they deserve and need. His testimony at an open meeting of the Intelligence Committee during which he and other committee members listened to testimony from Ms. Caroline Krass, the President’s nominee to be General Counsel to the CIA. Comments made by Senator Collins and himself in support of Justice Jon Levy, of Portland, to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine. His expectations for final passage of the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act and its implications for the state of Maine. The full video of Senator King’s recap can be viewed below. Also, a broadcast quality version of the video can be downloaded here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-applauds-passage-of-budget-agreement-,King Applauds Passage of Budget Agreement,2013-12-18,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Applauds Passage of Budget Agreement Wednesday, December 18, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King, a member of the joint House-Senate Budget Conference Committee, released the following statement today after supporting the passage of a two-year budget agreement. “The passage of the budget agreement marks a major step forward for the country, for the economy, and for Congress as a whole. While I do not support every provision and would have preferred to see a larger and more comprehensive agreement like the one I offered in November, I fully recognize that compromises must be made – and should be made – in order to advance the work of the country. “The agreement, although modest in scope, makes important strides in maintaining momentum on deficit reduction, in mitigating the harmful effects of sequestration, and perhaps most importantly, in ending the governing-by-crises style of legislating. As a result, this agreement will introduce much-needed certainty and stability to the budgetary process that I believe will be of substantial benefit to the economy moving forward. “Lastly, in a Congress rife with partisanship, Senator Patty Murray and Congressman Paul Ryan should be praised for their good work in forging a compromise that was able to pass both houses of a divided government. Their determined efforts, coupled with our vote today, demonstrate that Congress can still work for the people. As we head into the new year, it is my hope that this agreement will serve as the foundation for additional bipartisan cooperation and negotiation on other serious issues that merit our attention.” Earlier today, Senator King spoke on the Senate floor in favor of the bipartisan budget agreement. BACKGROUND: The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, which is the first budget to pass a divided Congress since 1986, will set overall discretionary spending for the current fiscal year at $1.012 trillion – about halfway between the Senate budget level of $1.058 trillion and the House budget level of $967 billion. The agreement would provide $63 billion in sequester relief over two years, split evenly between defense and non-defense programs. In fiscal year 2014, defense discretionary spending would be set at $520.5 billion, and non-defense discretionary spending would be set at $491.8 billion. The sequester relief is fully offset by savings elsewhere in the budget. The agreement includes dozens of specific deficit-reduction provisions, with mandatory savings and non-tax revenue totaling approximately $85 billion. The agreement would reduce the deficit by between $20 and $23 billion. With the bill’s passage today, the appropriations committees are able to work on spending bills at an agreed-upon level in advance of the January 15th deadline, which is when government funding is scheduled to end. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-backs-legislation-to-restore-military-cola-benefits-altered-under-budget-conference-agreement,King Backs Legislation to Restore Military COLA Benefits Altered Under Budget Conference Agreement,2013-12-18,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Backs Legislation to Restore Military COLA Benefits Altered Under Budget Conference Agreement Wednesday, December 18, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced his support for legislation authored by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) that would safeguard military retirees from changes in cost of living adjustments (COLA) that were included in the bipartisan budget agreement the Senate is expected to pass today. The Military Retirement Restoration Act would replace the estimated $6 billion in expected savings from military retiree cost of living adjustments with an estimated $6.6 billion raised by eliminating a tax loophole for offshore corporations. “The budget conference agreement will go a long way in helping to provide stability and certainty for our economy, but as with any compromise measure, there are provisions in it that I do not agree with,” Senator King said. “I am particularly concerned with the provision to reduce the annual cost of living adjustment for military retirees of working age. The men and women of our armed forces have earned these benefits through their service to our nation, and we must do all that we can to honor their sacrifice. By reversing the provision approved in the bipartisan budget agreement, and by closing an offshore tax loophole to pay for it, this commonsense legislation will do just that.” The provision within the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 modifies the annual cost of living adjustment for working-age military retirees by making the adjustments equal to inflation minus one percent. The provision would go into effect in December 2015 and is expected to save approximately $6 billion over ten years.  At age 62, the retired pay would be adjusted as if the COLA had been the full CPI adjustment in all previous years, and the service members would receive the full COLA from then on. The Military Retirement Restoration Act achieves $6.6 billion in savings by prohibiting companies incorporated offshore but managed and controlled from the United States from claiming foreign status and avoiding U.S. taxes on their foreign income, instead treating them as domestic corporations for tax purposes.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-collins-king-support-request-for-trade-adjustment-assistance-for-displaced-workers-from-lincoln-paper-and-tissue,"Senators Collins, King Support Request for Trade Adjustment Assistance for Displaced Workers from Lincoln Paper and Tissue",2013-12-17,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senators Collins, King Support Request for Trade Adjustment Assistance for Displaced Workers from Lincoln Paper and Tissue Tuesday, December 17, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C.—In a letter sent today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King urged Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez to approve a Petition for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for the 200 workers at Lincoln Paper and Tissue, LLC, who have been displaced as a result of a significant drop in demand due to competition with foreign countries. “TAA assistance is critical to helping workers who have been subjected to layoffs obtain the training and resources they need to pursue alternative job opportunities,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “These dedicated workers, many of whom have worked at the facility throughout their entire careers, lost their jobs as a result of increased imports and foreign competition.  In this difficult economic time, we will continue to work together to support the Mainers impacted by this layoff and ensure that they receive the assistance and resources they need.” The purpose of the TAA program is to aid workers who lose their jobs or whose hours of work and wages decrease as a result of increased imports. If the TAA petition is approved, displaced Lincoln Paper and Tissue workers will be eligible for employment training in another job or career, income support, job search allowances, and relocation services for individuals who obtain jobs outside of their normal commuting area. The full text of the letter follows: December 17, 2013 The Honorable Thomas E. Perez Secretary United States Department of Labor 200 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20210 Dear Mr. Secretary: We are writing on behalf of 200 workers at Lincoln Paper and Tissue (LPT), LLC, of Lincoln, Maine, who have been displaced as a result of a sudden and significant drop in demand for the mill’s products due to competition with foreign countries.  Specifically, we urge your careful consideration of LPT’s petition for Trade Adjustment Assistance (Petition #83295). LPT has been notified that its largest customer is moving its production needs to Indonesia and will no longer purchase tissue paper from them.  This customer purchased 50 percent of the operating capacity of the company’s largest tissue machine. As a major employer in this region of Maine, the loss of 200 well-paying jobs strikes a devastating blow to Lincoln and the surrounding communities.  In addition, given the mill’s rural location and the significant loss of jobs throughout Maine’s pulp and paper industry in recent years, the likelihood of displaced workers finding comparable positions is remote.  We believe many of these workers may require retraining for other, emerging occupations.  It is crucial that these workers receive certification under the Trade Adjustment Assistance program. We urge that you review this petition for Trade Adjustment Assistance in a timely manner, consistent with all applicable laws and regulations, to ensure that the workers receive the assistance they need to secure work and mitigate the negative effects this action will have on these workers’ financial stability. Thank you for your time and consideration on behalf of the workers at Lincoln Paper and Tissue, LLC, in Lincoln, Maine.   Sincerely,   Susan M. Collins                                                                                Angus S. King, Jr. United States Senator                                                                         United States Senator     ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/media/decembers-inside-maine-on-wgan-with-former-senator-alan-simpson-part-2,"December's Inside Maine on WGAN with former Senator Alan Simpson, part 2",2013-12-16,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content December's Inside Maine on WGAN with former Senator Alan Simpson, part 2",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/media/decembers-inside-maine-on-wgan-with-senator-mark-warner-part-1,"December's Inside Maine on WGAN with Senator Mark Warner, part 1",2013-12-16,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content December's Inside Maine on WGAN with Senator Mark Warner, part 1",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/newsletters/december-2013-e-newsletter-constituent-services-edition,December 2013 e-Newsletter: Constituent Services Edition,2013-12-16,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sen. King joins with representatives from the Maine State Society and Wreaths Across America to lay a wreath on the Capitol steps to honor and remember military service members and their families who are separated this holiday season. Sen. King tours the Advanced Structures and Composites Lab at the University of Maine in Orono.  King chairs meeting of the Senate Rules Committee. King meets with a constituent at Capitol Coffee.   Resources for Constituents In an effort to help Mainers access resources offered by our federal government, I have highlighted a few cost-saving opportunities and support services that have been made available. Please feel free to forward this information along to other agencies or individuals in need of the services described below.  In addition, if you need to meet with a constituent services representative please stop by one of our state offices or join us at one of our ""Your Government Your Neighborhood"" outreach locations. Taxes I have included some resources that will hopefully save you both money and time filing your taxes: The Saver's Credit: Low and moderate-income employees now have an opportunity to save for retirement and earn a special tax credit in 2013 and for future years. Learn more about who is eligible here. For employers: Hire Veterans by Dec 31 and Save on Taxes. If you plan to hire soon, consider hiring veterans. If you do, you may be able to claim the federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit worth thousands of dollars. Lear more here. For tax-exempt organizations: The IRS recently produced this user-friendly online form to help folks through the process of applying for their organization's tax exempt status. Check it out here. Veterans Veterans to Receive 1.5% Cost-of-Living Increase in 2014. Veterans, their families, and survivors receiving disability compensation and pension benefits from the Dept. of Veterans Affairs will receive a 1.5% cost-of-living increase in their monthly payments beginning Jan. 1, 2014. Learn more here. My HealtheVet: The Department of Veterans Affairs is urging all veterans and service members to start using www.myhealth.va.gov to access important VA healthcare information and services. The benefits of My HealtheVet Personal Health Record include, VA prescription refills, VA notes, VA Blue Button, and secure messaging with VA healthcare providers. Housing Are you in need of housing advice? Counselors from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are available to help guide you through buying a home, renting, default, foreclosure avoidance, credit issues, and more. Best of all - their services are provided free-of-charge! For a list of the HUD-approved housing counselors in Maine click here. Immigration Services U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently redeveloped their website to provide a more user-friendly interface including a better navigation system and tool selection for visitors. Now at www.uscis.gov you can find free online tools to: Check your case status Make an appointment at your local USCIS office Find tips on what to do before you file your applications Learn about case processing times File certain forms electronically Change your address Research your family's immigration history   Please visit https://www.king.senate.gov for more updates and let us hear from you. Our toll free number in Maine is 1-800-432-1599.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/oped/king-on-paying-physicians-through-medicare,King on paying physicians through medicare,2013-12-16,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King on paying physicians through medicare By:  Senator Angus S. King, Jr. Monday, December 16, 2013 During my first year in the Senate I have been confronted by a variety of issues that are frustrating and difficult to resolve.  This includes the rising cost of healthcare and its impact on the federal budget. Congress has tried to manage healthcare costs for decades. As part of this effort, since 1997, payments for Medicare services provided by physicians and certain non-physician practitioners have been made on the basis of a special fee system. The formula was originally intended to rein in the growth of Medicare costs by setting boundaries on physician reimbursement.  However, beginning in 2002 the formula has led to annual reductions in Medicare physician payments. Rather than finding a permanent solution to this issue, each year Congress patched the program and postponed these cuts through a series of temporary fixes. These last minute “doc fixes” have resulted in a situation of financial uncertainty for Medicare providers.  Imagine the frustration of not knowing until the last minute what you are going to be paid for your services next year. Now the cuts have accumulated to an unsustainable level and unless Congress intervenes, Medicare physician payments will be reduced by about 25 percent on January 1, 2014. In my meetings with physicians, other health care providers, and senior advocates I have been hearing the same request; they all want a permanent fix to this broken fee system. So where does Congress find $140billion for the Doc Fix without cutting essential healthcare services? Last winter I joined my colleague Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Chairman of the Health Care Subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee, to introduce the Medicare Drug Savings Act of 2013. Our bill would reinstate the rebates paid by drug manufacturers for low-income Medicare enrollees saving taxpayers $140billion over 10 years. Notice the similarities in the two numbers? Passing the Medicare Drug Savings Act represents a sensible way to pay for permanently repairing the Doc Fix. This change would not harm patients, healthcare providers or hospitals in any way. Linking these two issues solves a long standing problem by allowing us to finally move beyond this broken system and create certainty and stability for both physicians and hospitals. Sometimes a common sense solution is right in front of us, in this case all we have to do it grab it.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/oped/reform-militarys-sexual-assault-policies-but-dont-relieve-commanders-of-duty-to-get-it-right,"Reform military’s sexual assault policies, but don’t relieve commanders of duty to get it right",2013-12-15,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Reform military’s sexual assault policies, but don’t relieve commanders of duty to get it right By:  Senator Angus S. King, Jr. Sunday, December 15, 2013 On Dec. 6, Caroline Baldacci published an OpEd in which she eloquently describes the problem of sexual assault within our nation’s military. Like Caroline, I agree that any incident of sexual assault in our armed services is unacceptable, that it is not only a stain upon the character of our military but upon our nation as a whole, and that it is necessary for Congress to take serious steps to address the issue. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I have been immersed in this issue since entering the Senate in January and, like every member of Congress, I am committed to finding the most comprehensive and effective way to eradicate the problem. I supported the national defense bill reported by our committee that contains the strongest steps ever undertaken by Congress to address the problem of military sexual assault, and I have also spoken in favor of additional amendments that would continue to make significant changes to the military justice system. In fact, legislation I supported would trigger an automatic review of any sexual assault case by the civilian service secretary — the highest ranking official in the service — when a commander overrules the recommendation of a military legal advisor to prosecute that case. Additionally, if a military legal advisor recommends and a commander agrees not to prosecute a sexual assault case, the bill would require the next higher level commander to review that decision. Perhaps most importantly, though, in an effort to protect victims and improve reporting, a provision I supported would criminalize retaliation against a victim for speaking out. No victim of sexual assault should ever live in fear of reporting it because they are concerned about retaliatory action. Furthermore, along with all of these strong provisions, which Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and I both support with a majority of our colleagues, lies the difficult question of whether to remove the commander from the decision-making process, which Gillibrand’s approach seeks to do. After considerable thought and discussions with members of the military (principally women), I am very concerned that removing such a consequential decision from the commander’s jurisdiction would have the unintended consequence of relieving the commanders of their responsibility to push forward on prosecutions. That is why I supported an alternative approach authored by Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo. Her legislation would remove a commander’s authority to overturn jury convictions, mandate that convicted service members be dishonorably discharged, and require an independent review of a case if a commander decides not to prosecute it — but it would keep the control of court-martial proceedings within the established military chain of command. Indeed, rather than remove commanding officers from the process, I want them to be fully engaged in it. I agree with McCaskill when she says, “We have to thoughtfully build the strongest possible reforms to protect and empower victims, crack down on commanders’ ability to abuse their authority, and retain a commander’s ability to do it right.” I believe the only way we can confront and defeat the scourge of military sexual assault in the long-term is to fundamentally change the culture that allows too many sexual assaults to occur and discourages too many victims from reporting crimes against them — a point I have made repeatedly, including to the joint chiefs of staff. To do so, though, we must ensure commanders are fully accountable and fully responsible for the decisions they make. Ironically, I believe Gillibrand’s amendment would do just the opposite by relieving commanders of this responsibility. I also worry that putting these decisions in the hands of prosecutors may actually be detrimental to victims. Since 2011, military commanders prosecuted 93 sexual assault cases that civilian prosecutors had in their jurisdiction but refused to take on. At least 52 of those cases resulted in a conviction. In these instances, a commander’s decision to prosecute resulted in bringing a perpetrator to justice, whereas if the prosecutors had the final say, the perpetrators would have escaped punishment. Lastly, when other countries have taken the decision to prosecute sexual assaults out of commanders’ hands, their service members have generally not benefited from increased reporting of sexual assaults or more convictions of sexual predators. The United States military, on the other hand, has seen significant increases in reporting in recent years as efforts have been undertaken to give sexual assault victims more options for reporting, better protections and better services. In fact, in many cases, the decision by other countries to take the prosecution decision away from commanders was made to increase protections for the accused, not the victims. When the ultimate goal is to increase reports, prosecutions and convictions of sexual assault, I am concerned that the approach taken by Gillibrand will produce a result opposite of what she intends. There is no doubt, though, Caroline Baldacci is right in much of her OpEd. Our servicemen and women must be held to the highest standards, and when some sadly fail to meet the longstanding standards of service by committing sexual assault, we must ensure that justice is appropriately served and that the victim is provided with the support and care they rightfully deserve. I strongly believe the legislation we reported from the committee will give the military the tools and resources it needs to do just that.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/this-week-in-washington-the-budget-deal-and-the-benefits-of-the-aca-,This Week in Washington: the Budget Deal and the Benefits of the ACA,2013-12-14,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"This Week in Washington: the Budget Deal and the Benefits of the ACA Saturday, December 14, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – In his ongoing effort to keep constituents back home up to date with his work in the Senate, U.S. Senator Angus King took a few minutes to discuss this week’s events in Washington. In his recap, Senator King discussed the budget deal that was announced Tuesday evening by Senator Patty Murray and Congressman Paul Ryan. The deal continues the significant deficit reduction of the past three years and provides a much-needed sense of certainty for the economy. On Thursday, Senator King was joined by North Yarmouth resident and former intern, Hannah Dorr, who shared her personal story illustrating the benefits of ACA for children with pre-existing conditions. While he has concerns about certain provisions of the ACA, Senator King emphasized the huge and positive impact the law has already made on the lives of countless people across the county.  The full video of Senator King’s weekly recap can be viewed below. A broadcast quality version of the video can also be downloaded here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/oped/maines-home-to-great-inventors-entrepreneurs,"Maine's home to great inventors, entrepreneurs",2013-12-13,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Maine's home to great inventors, entrepreneurs By:  Senator Angus S. King, Jr. Aroostook Republica Friday, December 13, 2013 I am frequently asked what the most limiting factor to innovation and entrepreneurship in Maine is. The truth is that our attitude and imagination are the only limiting factors, but creating a business friendly environment and supportive infrastructure are two important steps to unleashing great ideas here at home. The good news is that there are countless small businesses throughout the state that are adopting new technologies and marketing strategies to help enhance, grow, and expand their operations. I saw this first-hand on my recent trip to Washington County where I met with local business and community leaders to talk about what they are doing, the challenges they face, and what can be done to help promote economic growth.  Here are just a few examples of Maine innovators Down East who are helping move our state economy forward: Situated in the St. Croix River Valley along the border between New Brunswick, Canada and Baileyville, Maine, Woodland Pulp Mill has been demonstrating how our traditional industries can adapt to the demands of the 21st century.  I was impressed to learn that they have become 100% energy self-sufficient and have successfully incorporated alternative, cleaner energy sources, such as natural gas, into their day-to-day operations.  This, and the use of other new technologies, has allowed them to reduce costs and increase profit margins while adhering to environmentally responsible practices that ensure our forests will remain a valuable resource for generations to come. Similar to our forestry industry, in recent years Maine’s fishing industry has faced a host of new challenges that require innovative solutions to meet constantly evolving market demands. Historically, a lack of processing facilities has meant that our fisherman have had to send their catch out of state for processing. A.C. Inc., a lobster and seafood processor located on Beals Island, is seeking to help reverse that trend by working to develop a prototype for an advanced processing facility that would enable fishing communities to retain more of their product value locally while also creating new job opportunities and a more sustainable industry. Finding new ways to create jobs was a common theme I heard throughout my two-day trip in Washington County. In my meeting with Chief Joseph Socobasin and Vice Chief Clayton Sockabasin of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township, they shared their vision to generate job growth by opening a bottling plant and selling water to consumers who live outside the tribal land. The area is filled with natural springs and using this resource to promote economic development would help strengthen the tribal community by creating up to 70 jobs, providing new revenue for schools, public safety, and healthcare. As bottled water sales increase across the county, this represents an exciting opportunity for the Passamaquoddy to help tribe members make ends meet and continue living on their ancestral lands. To help these initiatives take root it is important that our business and communities have the necessary tools to connect with markets in state and around the world. I’ve been a longtime advocate of increasing and improving rural broadband access in Maine. We took a step forward in connecting rural areas to the rest of the world through the Three Ring Binder broadband project, which provides a backbone for high speed internet, but there is still a lot of work to be done.  Axiom Technologies, based in Machias, has taken a leadership position in this effort by facilitating further broadband development and digital literacy opportunities in the region. During a breakfast with community leaders at UMaine Machias, I was thrilled to learn how Axiom is helping local businesses grow by providing broadband access and digital tools to rural areas. These vital communications resources help connect our entrepreneurs to markets beyond our borders. Maine does not suffer from a shortage of great ideas to improve economic development and create good-paying jobs. What we need is to help turning those ideas into a reality by making sure that our innovators and entrepreneurs are equipped for success in the 21st century. At the federal level, the most important thing Congress could do to improve the business climate is to competently perform its most basic functions—passing a budget in timely manner without self-induced crises and chaos would be a good place to start. Showing that we can deal with fiscal issues in a responsible way would begin the process of restoring the American people’s confidence in their government which would undoubtedly increase our future prospects for financial growth and stability.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-exempt-volunteer-first-responders-from-healthcare-mandate,"Collins, King Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Exempt Volunteer First Responders from Healthcare Mandate",2013-12-13,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Collins, King Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Exempt Volunteer First Responders from Healthcare Mandate Proposal designed to allow localities to retain volunteer first responders Friday, December 13, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King this week introduced bipartisan legislation to help ensure volunteer firefighters and other first responders can continue protecting communities that rely on them. The Protect Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responders Act, which is also sponsored by Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Mark Begich (D-AK) would amend the Affordable Care Act to make it clear that volunteer emergency service workers are not required to be counted as full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) for purposes of healthcare coverage.  Approximately 750,000 volunteer firefighters serve in 20,000 all-volunteer and 5,000 combination career-volunteer fire departments throughout the United States. In Maine, there are an estimated 405 fire departments throughout the state that are either mostly staffed or all staffed by volunteers.  Some volunteer firefighters are nominally paid, and most volunteer first responders have other full-time employment. Many emergency response agencies do not have the resources to provide pay or benefits to volunteers and most volunteer first responders do not expect to receive compensation or health coverage as a result of their volunteer public service. “Maine boasts one of the highest percentages of volunteer and on-call firefighters in the nation, and these brave men and women play a vital role in keeping our communities safe each and every day,” Senator Collins said.  “It is unacceptable that an undue burden could be placed on volunteer fire departments across the country, and it is imperative that this ambiguity in the law be clarified and fixed.” “Hundreds of small towns in Maine and thousands more across the nation rely on volunteer firefighters and other emergency first responders to protect our local communities. Our bipartisan legislation will draw an important distinction between those volunteers and full-time, paid staff that will ensure emergency response units can continue to deliver robust services without the fear of having to deal with cumbersome federal regulations. I have always said that I am prepared to work with my colleagues to improve the ACA, and I am proud to join with Senators Warner, Manchin, Toomey, and Collins in support of this common-sense fix,” Senator King said. This bipartisan legislation has been endorsed by the International Association of Fire Chiefs, National Volunteer Fire Council, and Congressional Fire Services Institute. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/blog/sen-king-and-hannah-dorr-of-north-yarmouth-highlight-benefits-of-affordable-care-act-for-people-with-pre-existing-conditions,Sen. King and Hannah Dorr of North Yarmouth Highlight Benefits of Affordable Care Act for People with Pre-Existing Conditions,2013-12-12,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Thursday, December 12, 2013 Sen. King and Hannah Dorr of North Yarmouth Highlight Benefits of Affordable Care Act for People with Pre-Existing Conditions Videos of both the Senator’s remarks and Hannah Dorr’s remarks have been included below:   A complete transcript of Senator King’s remarks: I'm here because bad news gets halfway around the world before good news gets its shoes on. And all we hear is bad news and all we hear are examples of people that are having problems. But the quiet good news is that literally millions of Americans, for the first time, have been able to access quality healthcare at a reasonable price. And it's almost impossible to convey in words what that means to these families; people who have literally lived their lives with a cloud of not being able to having insurance to cover their children or themselves because they've had some healthcare issues in the past. I have two personal stories, and I think the fact that we all virtually have personal stories tells you how widespread the impact of this is. It's not just a few people, it's not somebody in Peoria or California, it's people right here in this building. 40 years ago I was fortunate enough to have a good healthcare coverage that included free physicals. And because of that, at the age of 28 or 29, I went in to have a routine physical, my first in 9 years. In the course of that routine physical, which was part of my healthcare coverage, which by the way is now preventive care that's provided under the Affordable Care Act to everyone, it was determined that I had a rare and aggressive form of cancer called malignant melanoma. And the thing about malignant melanoma is that you either get it in time and live, or you don't and you die. And I was fortunate enough that it was caught in time, I had surgery and fully recovered - here I am. But it has haunted me ever since that somewhere in America, that same year, was a young man or a young woman who didn't have health insurance, who didn't have access to a physical, that melanoma didn't get caught, and they're not here. And I can't justify that. I can't say why me and not them. To me this is beyond a political or an economic issue, it's a moral issue. And the reality is that in this country - there have been a variety of studies -  but in this country there are now between 40 and 50 million people with no insurance, and the variety of studies have all concluded that somewhere between 25 and 50 thousand people a year die simply because they don't have health insurance. Simply because they don't have health insurance, because they didn't get treated in time, because they were afraid to go to the emergency room, because they went in and had treatment but it was too late. And that is sort of my personal reason for feeling so passionate about this. I cannot for the life of me figure out why anyone in this country would exert any political effort whatsoever to keep people from having health insurance. The second personal story is that I have two children who are covered under my policy today who would not be were it not for the Affordable Care Act. One's 23 and one's 20. The 23 year old is out of school, he couldn't be under my coverage, but he is, and because of that he's able to have more flexibility in what he does for a career. As 23 year olds are sort of finding their way, he doesn't have to obsess about the fact that “I can only take a job that provides healthcare,” because he's covered under my coverage. And so as I say, I consider this a moral and an ethical issue. Not one of us, if someone was choking on the subway, would turn our back. Not one of us would say, ""I'm sorry, that's not my problem."" We would all try to help. And the Affordable Care Act is nothing but that impulse writ large. It's the impulse to help. And to say, ""It's not my problem"" is not our way as a people. And of course it's complicated and of course it's difficult, and there are growing pains, and the website didn't work very well, I can attest to that. But the impulse is right, the vision is right, the concept is right. And this idea that people can be denied, which they are, hundreds of thousands of people in Maine technically could be turned away, but for the Affordable Care Act, because of pre-existing conditions. And disease is no respecter of social class or economics or anything else. And that's why we need to be able to provide this kind of coverage to all of our citizens. A complete transcript of Hannah Dorr’s remarks have been included below: Thank you and good morning. At the age of 16 I was diagnosed with a rare progressive genetic heart disease called arrhythmiagenic right ventricular dysplasia, or ARVD. ARVD affects about 1 in 5,000 people, barely a big enough population to do a clinical trial. I always wanted to be special, so I guess I could say I've reached this goal. With ARVD, the scariest part is the unknown. Not much is certain about the disease: how to prevent progression, best treatments, and how specifically the disease will manifest itself as it advances, are all largely unknown. But I think the scariest part for my parents was the uncertainty of how I was going to afford insurance later in life with a pre-existing condition. For me, going into the individual market before the Affordable Care Act would mean astronomically high premiums and cost sharing that would be outside of my means, and caring for my disease would fall by the wayside. The Affordable Care Act not only allows me to stay on my parents' plan until I'm 26, a plan that gave me access to the top doctors, but gives me the certainty that there's an option for me should I no longer be covered by insurer-sponsored insurance. I consider myself fortunate that my ARVD was caught by chance by my pediatrician at an early age. I consider myself lucky that my family had top-of-the-line insurance that gave me access to the incredible team of doctors that cared for me, and did not send my family spiraling into debt and for the friends and family that helped pay extra costs such as travel expenses, by creating a charity in my name, Hearts for Hannah. But most of all I consider myself lucky that no matter what uncertainty there is in the future, there is now certainty that I will be able to find insurance within my means because of the Affordable Care Act.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-king-and-hannah-dorr-of-north-yarmouth-highlight-benefits-of-affordable-care-act-for-children-with-pre-existing-conditions,Sen. King and Hannah Dorr of North Yarmouth Highlight Benefits of Affordable Care Act for Children with Pre-Existing Conditions,2013-12-12,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sen. King and Hannah Dorr of North Yarmouth Highlight Benefits of Affordable Care Act for Children with Pre-Existing Conditions Thursday, December 12, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) today stood beside Hannah Dorr, a native of North Yarmouth, Maine, to highlight how up to 17 million children with pre-existing conditions – including thousands in Maine – can no longer be denied health insurance thanks to the Affordable Care Act. “The quiet good news is that literally millions of Americans for the first time have been able to access quality healthcare at a reasonable price, and it’s almost impossible to convey in words what that means to these families – people who have literally lived their lives with a cloud of not being able to have insurance to cover their children or themselves because they’ve had some healthcare issues in the past,” Senator King said. “Disease is no respecter of social class or economics or anything else, and that’s why we need to be able to provide this type of coverage to all of our citizens.” Hannah Dorr, a 22-year-old native of North Yarmouth and a former intern in Senator King’s Washington, D.C. office, joined him to share her story of how her pre-existing condition has impacted her life. At the age of 16, Hannah was diagnosed with a rare, progressive, genetic heart disease called Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia, or ARVD, but thanks to the Affordable Care Act, she is now able to stay on her parents’ insurance until age 26 and cannot be denied health insurance coverage because of her heart condition. “I think the scariest part for my parents was the uncertainty of how I was going to afford insurance later in life with a preexisting condition. For me, going into the individual market before the Affordable Care Act would mean astronomically high premiums and cost-sharing that would be outside of my means, and caring for my disease would fall by the wayside,” Hannah said. “The Affordable Care Act not only allows me to stay on my parents plan until I'm 26 – a plan that gave me access to the top doctors – but gives me the certainty that there is an option for me, should I no longer be covered by employer-sponsored insurance.” “I consider myself lucky that my family had top of the line insurance that gave me access to the incredible team of doctors that cared for me and did not send my family spiraling into debt, and for the friends and family that helped pay extra costs such as travel expenses by creating a charity in my name: Hearts for Hannah. But most of all I consider myself lucky that no matter what uncertainty there is in the future, there is now certainty that I will be able to find insurance within my means because of the Affordable Care Act,” she said. Since 2010, because of the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies have been prohibited from denying health coverage for the up to 17 million children with pre-existing conditions such as cancer, asthma, or diabetes. According to recent statistics from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 65,000 children in Maine have some type of pre-existing health condition. Starting in 2014, insurance companies will also no longer be able to deny coverage for adults or charge anyone higher premiums based on health status or history. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-praises-budget-conference-announcement,King Praises Budget Conference Announcement,2013-12-10,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Praises Budget Conference Announcement Tuesday, December 10, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the joint House-Senate Budget Conference Committee, praised an announcement this evening by Senator Patty Murray and Committee Chairman Paul Ryan that they have reached a two-year budget agreement in advance of the budget conference’s December 13th deadline: “The announcement of a budget agreement by Senator Murray and Congressman Ryan represents a significant and desperately-needed victory for compromise and bipartisanship in a Congress that has been plagued by extreme gridlock,” Senator King said. “While there are provisions within the deal that I do not agree with, I understand that in order to move forward and best serve the nation, compromises must be made. I urge my colleagues to recognize that, although the deal is not perfect, it is a step in the right direction.” The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 would set overall discretionary spending for the current fiscal year at $1.012 trillion – about halfway between the Senate budget level of $1.058 trillion and the House budget level of $967 billion. The agreement would provide $63 billion in sequester relief over two years, split evenly between defense and non-defense programs. In fiscal year 2014, defense discretionary spending would be set at $520.5 billion, and non-defense discretionary spending would be set at $491.8 billion. The sequester relief is fully offset by savings elsewhere in the budget. The agreement includes dozens of specific deficit-reduction provisions, with mandatory savings and non-tax revenue totaling approximately $85 billion. The agreement would reduce the deficit by between $20 and $23 billion. The House of Representatives is expected to take up the Bipartisan Budget Act first, followed by the Senate. If this bill is signed into law, the appropriations committees will then be able to work on spending bills at an agreed-upon level in advance of the January 15th deadline. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-collins-and-king-announce-maine-nominees-to-the-united-states-military-service-academies-,Senators Collins and King Announce Maine Nominees to the United States Military Service Academies,2013-12-06,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senators Collins and King Announce Maine Nominees to the United States Military Service Academies Friday, December 6, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced their nominees to the United States Military Academies. To be considered for an appointment to a service academy, applicants must be nominated by an authorized nominating source, which includes members of Congress. Admission to the United States Coast Guard Academy, also a federal service academy, does not require a congressional nomination. “We are proud to have the honor to nominate such an impressive group of Maine students to our nation’s distinguished service academies,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “The young people we have nominated have earned this honor through a commitment to strong scholarship, leadership, and character.” The following students from Maine have received nominations as candidates to the military academies from Senators Collins and King (note some students received a nomination to more than one academy):                         United States Naval Academy – Annapolis Name                                      Home Town                High School Laura Broderick                     Kennebunkport           Kennebunk High School Emily Cox                              Topsham                     Mount Ararat High School Tyler Davidson                       South Berwick                        Marshwood High School Angus Ferrell                          Falmouth                    Falmouth High School Jacob Fogel                             Portland                      Portland High School Grace Harrison                       Lincolnville                Camden Hills Regional High School John Harrison                         Bar Harbor                  Marine Academy of Science & Technology Wyatt Hart                              Lebanon                      Noble High School Molly McAleer                       Orono                          Kents Hill School Christian O’Connor                York                            York High School James O’Neil                          Orono                          Orono High School Matthew Piazza                      York                            Northern Lights Academy Edward Pond                          Topsham                     American School in Japan Grace Rabinowitz                   Brunswick                   Brunswick High School Robert Runnells                      Saco                            Thornton Academy Dustin Sirabella                      Exeter                         Dexter Regional High School Elliott Speirs                          Gorham                       Gorham High School  Brian Taylor                           Falmouth                    Falmouth High School MacKenzie Travers                Lewiston                     Lewiston High School Matthew Webber                    York                            Saint Thomas Aquinas High School               Unites States Military Academy – West Point Name                                      Home Town                High School Andrew Benger                       Cumberland Center    Greely High School John Bennett III                      Chelsea                       Cony High School Emily Cox                              Topsham                     Mount Ararat High School Hailey Davis                           Liberty                                    Mount View High School Angus Ferrell                          Falmouth                    Falmouth High School           Sawyer Harkins                      Bethel                         Gould Academy Grace Harrison                       Lincolnville                Camden Hills Regional High School Conall Molloy                                    Orono                          Orono High School James O’Neil                          Orono                          Orono High School Robert Runnells                      Saco                            Thornton Academy Jacob Smith                            Sidney                         Messalonskee High School Johel Stephenson                    Fairfield                      Stephenson Academy Matthew Webber                    York                            Saint Thomas Aquinas High School Corey Zinck                            Wells                          Valley Forge Military Academy             United States Air Force Academy – Colorado Springs Name                                      Home Town                High School Wesley Crawford                   Yarmouth                    Yarmouth High School Hailey Davis                           Liberty                                    Mount View High School Michael Dempski                   Oakland                      Saint Dominic Academy Ethan Handley                                    Dedham                      John Bapst Memorial High School Angus Ferrell                          Falmouth                    Falmouth High School Liam Mahoney                       Yarmouth                    Yarmouth High School Molly McAleer                       Orono                          Kents Hill School Patrick O’Hanlon                   Falmouth                    Cheverus High School James O’Neil                          Orono                          Orono High School Matthew Piazza                      York                            Northern Lights Academy Edward Pond                          Topsham                     American School in Japan Robert Runnells                      Saco                            Thornton Academy Dustin Sirabella                      Exeter                         Dexter Regional High School Elliott Speirs                          Gorham                       Gorham High School Jordan Susi                             South Portland                        South Portland High School MacKenzie Travers                Lewiston                     Lewiston High School             United States Merchant Marine Academy- Kings Point Name                                      Home Town                High School John Bennett III                      Chelsea                       Cony High School Wesley Crawford                   Yarmouth                    Yarmouth High School Sawyer Harkins                      Bethel                         Gould Academy Grace Harrison                       Lincolnville                Camden Hills Regional High School John Harrison                         Bar Harbor                  Marine Academy of Science & Technology     Liam Mahoney                       Yarmouth                    Yarmouth High School Molly McAleer                       Orono                          Kents Hill School Dustin Sirabella                      Exeter                         Dexter Regional High School Christopher Tomascak           Portland                      Portland High School Meredith Willard                   South Portland                        Cheverus High School Russell Wilson                       Hartland                      Wilson Catholic Academy ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-collins-and-king-send-letter-to-secretary-shinseki-supporting-continuation-of-the-arch-program-in-caribou,Senators Collins and King Send Letter to Secretary Shinseki Supporting Continuation of the ARCH Program in Caribou,2013-12-06,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senators Collins and King Send Letter to Secretary Shinseki Supporting Continuation of the ARCH Program in Caribou Friday, December 6, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the Ranking Member of the Aging Committee and one of the top Republicans on the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, and U.S. Senator Angus King have sent a letter to Secretary Eric Shinseki of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which requests that the VA indefinitely extend the Access Received Closer to Home (ARCH) pilot program in Caribou.  “Maine has one of the highest ratios in the nation of veterans to overall population, and in a large, rural state like Maine, it is critically important that the VA goes the extra mile to see that our veterans have access to and receive the treatment they need and deserve,” said Senator Collins.  “For veterans in northern Maine, a one-way drive to the Togus VA Medical Center in Augusta can take four hours or more to complete.  Especially for our ailing and elderly veterans, such a trip can be physically taxing, painful, or detrimental to their health, and we must do all that we can to improve access to health care they receive through the VA.” “For generations, Mainers have proudly and honorably shouldered the heavy responsibility of defending our country, and as a result, our state today is home to more veterans per capita than most other states. It is incumbent upon us to ensure that we provide these men and women the highest quality care and support that our country can offer,” Senator King said. “In a rural state like Maine, however, accessing vital and deserved healthcare resources can be both physically and logistically challenging for our veterans, especially those who are disabled or elderly. That’s why it’s so important the VA continue outreach programs, like the ARCH initiative in Caribou, that bring these critical care and support services directly to their communities.” According to information provided to Senator Collins and the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs by the VA, the three-year ARCH pilot program is scheduled to conclude at the end of the current fiscal year on September 30, 2014.  The VA has made no final decision on whether to extend the ARCH program or the services it provides at the five original sites beyond this date.  The VA’s final decision to extend the ARCH program or the services it provides at the five original sites or to expand the program to additional sites is pending the collection and analysis of further data. Below is the full text of the letter: +++ Dear Secretary Shinseki: The Access Received Closer to Home (ARCH) pilot program provides health care services to rural populations of veterans through non-VA health care providers.  Absent an extension, ARCH will conclude on September 30, 2014.  Given its proven record of improving access to quality health care for our veterans, we request that you indefinitely extend the ARCH pilot program.  As you know, the ARCH program is operating at five pilot sites in Arizona, Kansas, Maine, Montana, and Virginia.  Veterans who utilize these services and veterans service organizations (VSOs) have communicated to us that ARCH is an overwhelming and unqualified success.  They note that ARCH helps to meet the primary care needs of veterans without the long travel day that can be required to reach the nearest VA Medical Center (VAMC).  Particularly for ailing and elderly veterans, travel to VAMCs can be more expensive, more time-consuming, and less safe than a trip to the local ARCH location.  The ARCH program is also reducing the cost of mileage reimbursement for the VA. In addition, because veterans are more willing to make a local trip for primary care rather than an all-day trip to a VAMC, ARCH is helping to provide preventive and early intervention care rather than acute care, which can be more costly, resource-intensive, and physically straining for veterans.  The July 2013 ARCH program evaluation states that program's cost effectiveness has only begun to be properly evaluated due to limited available data.  As more data becomes available, we encourage you to ensure that the second and third-order cost benefits of the ARCH program, such as mileage reimbursement cost avoidance and reduced costs associated with preventive care and early intervention, are evaluated. In a recent article on the unique needs of rural veterans, John Gale of the Maine Rural Health Research Center at the University of Southern Maine identified transportation issues as a significant barrier to health care access.  One-way travel distances to access VA primary care average 45 to 54 miles, but in Maine these distances are frequently exceeded.  For example, Togus VAMC, the only VAMC in Maine, is located approximately 250 miles from the ARCH site in the northern part of the state.  As Senators from a state with a large elderly population, we are all too familiar with the numerous transportation challenges faced by seniors, which are rarely addressed in a comprehensive way.  In a November 6 hearing of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, witnesses testified to the enormous challenges associated with seniors having access to the transportation options they need in order to maintain their independence.  The ARCH program is a notable success in this respect, as it has lessened the average estimated one-way drive time by four hours for Maine veterans, reducing the need for physically taxing travel and unnecessary travel costs.  While the VA and VSOs have tried other methods to transport veterans to the Togus VAMC, these programs are limited.  For example, the Togus VAMC operates a popular volunteer program to transport veterans to appointments, which is coordinated and funded by Disabled American Veterans.  Unfortunately, age and disability restrictions on drivers threaten to reduce this program's availability.  The ARCH program in Caribou is clearly helping meet the needs of veterans in the northern part of Maine. As you evaluate the effectiveness of the ARCH program and make a determination about its extension, we ask that you consider the experiences of the many veterans who are accessing their health care through the ARCH site in Caribou.  The ARCH program improves coordination with community-based health services, which increases access to cost-effective care for veterans in rural areas.  Given its success, we believe ARCH is a model that may be worth extending to other parts of the country, as nearly half of VA-enrolled veterans live in rural areas.  In addition, the higher rate of military service among this country's rural population suggests that the need for access to rural services will grow in the future. Thank you for considering our request to indefinitely extend the ARCH program at all five sites.  We appreciate your prompt attention to this request.  Should you have any questions, please have your staff contact Ryan Kaldahl with Senator Collins at 202-228-6119 and Steve Smith with Senator King at 202-224-3980.  Thank you again for your consideration. Sincerely,                                      __________________                                                           __________________ Susan M. Collins                                                                     Angus S. King United States Senator                                                             United States Senator ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-nearly-74-million-contract-modification-for-bath-iron-works,"Collins, King Announce Nearly $74 Million Contract Modification for Bath Iron Works",2013-12-05,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Collins, King Announce Nearly $74 Million Contract Modification for Bath Iron Works Thursday, December 5, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins, a member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, and Angus King, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced that the U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics’ Bath Iron Works (BIW) a contract modification worth $73,913,646.  This is a continuation of BIW’s longstanding planning yard contracts to support the DDG-51 class destroyers and FFG-7 class frigates.  The modified contract calls for BIW to provide expert design, planning, and material support services for planned and emergent availabilities for both ship classes.  “We are pleased that the Navy chose to modify BIW’s contract, which will allow the highly-skilled workforce at the Bath shipyard to continue to make important improvements to the ships responsible for the future of our national security,” said Senators Collins and King. The work will be performed in Bath, Maine, and is expected to be completed by December 2016. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-statement-on-the-death-of-nelson-mandela,King Statement on the Death of Nelson Mandela,2013-12-05,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Statement on the Death of Nelson Mandela Thursday, December 5, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) released the following statement today on the passing of former South African President Nelson Mandela: “I join with Mainers, Americans, and people across the globe in mourning the death of former South African President Nelson Mandela. “With his passing today, the world loses one of its greatest and most revered leaders. He was a man of extraordinary character whose courage, compassion, and vision led a deeply divided South Africa out of the age of apartheid and into an age of peace. His words and deeds not only captured the hearts of his people, but inspired millions more across the world, as they still do today, to stand in abiding solidarity with one another. Indeed, Nelson Mandela embodied the finest and most noble qualities of the human spirit and he shall forever be remembered for it. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of South Africa as we share in their sorrow and mourn in their loss.”  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/-king-highlights-affordable-care-act-successes-in-maine,King Highlights Affordable Care Act Successes in Maine,2013-12-02,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Highlights Affordable Care Act Successes in Maine Despite rocky rollout, new health care law is supporting better care practices and cost-saving measures like preventive care Monday, December 2, 2013 PORTLAND, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King joined today with a network of healthcare providers from MaineHealth, as well as a group of students from East End Community School in Portland, to promote some of the little-noted ways in which the Affordable Care Act is having a positive impact in Maine. Senator King, who supports the Affordable Care Act (ACA) but has been critical of the flawed rollout of the federal exchange website, met with representatives from Maine’s largest family of not-for-profit health care providers, MaineHealth, to discuss the marked success of the group’s Accountable Care Organization (ACO). ACOs, which are incentivized under the ACA through several programs including the Medicare Shared Savings Program, attempt to facilitate coordination and cooperation among health care providers in order to improve the quality of care and reduce unnecessary costs. Specifically, ACO arrangements provide financial incentives for providers to improve quality and reduce costs by providing the payment reform necessary to invest in improved value of care for patients. Senator King also visited East End Community School in Portland, where he observed students participate in Let’s Go! 5-2-1-0, a nationally-recognized childhood obesity prevention program aimed at increasing physical activity and healthy eating habits for students from birth to age eighteen. Let's Go! works to reach families where they live, study, work and play by focusing on six areas – school, afterschool, childcare, workplace, community and healthcare – and emphasizes a “5-2-1-0 message” (5 or more fruits and vegetables, 2 hours or less of recreational screen time, 1 hour or more of physical activity and 0 sugary drinks, more water and low fat milk a day). The Affordable Care Act invests heavily in preventive care and wellness measures, like those of Let’s Go! “As I witnessed today, the Affordable Care Act is already beginning to make a positive difference here in Maine, even despite the problematic rollout of the federal exchange website,” Senator King said. “For example, I saw firsthand at MaineHealth how the new law is supporting improved care practices through innovative Accountable Care Organizations, and at East End Community School I saw a nationally-recognized example of preventive and wellness care with the Let’s Go! program, which the ACA is bolstering through a $2.4 million Community Transformation Grant. These ACA-supported developments will go a long way in helping Mainers to not only live healthier lives, but to also save more money in the long-run.” “MaineHealth has developed a large and successful Accountable Care Organization with approximately 69,000 covered lives,” said Frank McGinty, Executive Vice President and Treasurer of MaineHealth. “The Affordable Care Act promoted the development of these Accountable Care arrangements through its Medicare Shared Savings Program, and MaineHealth has successfully engaged in similar contracts with commercial insurers. MaineHealth programs, sponsored by the ACA, have resulted in decreased hospital readmission rates, and they have also improved the appropriate use of imaging studies like X-rays and CT scans. Maine has the highest quality hospitals in the country, and we are working hard to deliver on the promise of the ACA, but it is important to note that our investments are jeopardized by ongoing cuts to Medicare payments.” Ed Kane, Harvard Pilgrim's Vice President, Maine said, “The Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation has been honored to be the primary funder of Let's Go 5-2-1-0 in Maine for some years. This year, ACA funds will provide almost 10 percent of the Let's Go 5-2-1-0 budget.  It's a great example of the ACA's buttressing and building on prevention and wellness ideas of proven efficacy.”    BACKGROUND: Senator King has become a vocal proponent of preventive care measures, often noting that the increasing costs of health care in the United States is the primary drivers of future federal debt and deficit. In August, Senator King joined with Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) to introduce the Preventive Health Savings Act of 2013. Among other things, the legislation would direct the Congressional Budget Office to more accurately reflect the cost-savings of preventive healthcare, including screenings. For more information on the bill, click here. Senator King, along with Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WVA) and 17 other colleagues, also introduced earlier this year the Medicare Drug Savings Act, which would eliminate a special deal for brand-name drug manufacturers that allows them to charge Medicare higher prices for prescription drugs for some seniors and people with disabilities, including about 97,000 Mainers. The bill would save $141.2 billion, helping to responsibly reduce the deficit, and avoid reckless proposals to cut Medicare benefits. For more information, click here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/oped/many-steps-needed-to-keep-people-warm-this-winter,Many steps needed to keep people warm this winter,2013-11-28,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Many steps needed to keep people warm this winter By:  Senator Angus S. King, Jr. Thursday, November 28, 2013 The days are shorter, temperatures are dropping, and families across the state are preparing for the cold months ahead. As winter arrives, a large portion of Mainers’ incomes will be devoted to keeping warm. With each passing year, the cost of heating rises and for many families a higher heating bill means making difficult decisions. Families may be forced to choose between staying warm and other necessities like food or medicine. In Congress, I’ve been tackling this issue on two fronts: by working to reduce heating costs and to maintain adequate funding for programs such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Mainers who rely on heating oil are often those who must shoulder the greatest financial burden. Home heating oil is expensive, the price is volatile, and its emissions are harmful to our natural environment. That’s why I’ve been encouraging the transition away from oil, toward renewable and domestic energy sources like biomass, wind, solar, and natural gas. This year, Senator Susan Collins and I introduced legislation to promote the economic and environmental benefits of biomass thermal energy. The Biomass Thermal Utilization Act of 2013 amends the tax code so that thermal biomass systems receive the same tax incentives as other renewable energy technologies. Biomass systems, such as wood pellet boilers, offer a local and efficient way to generate heat, save money, and invest in our state.  I know this is just a first step in helping keep people warm during the winter. As cost-saving opportunities offered by gas and alternative energy sources continue to evolve, cold winters remain a serious challenge for our state’s most vulnerable families. In the face of persistently high energy prices, it is essential that we have in place adequate home heating safety nets for who need them most. Recognizing the significance of LIHEAP funds to millions of Americans, a group of senators, including myself, wrote to the Obama Administration urging the immediate release of federal heating aid to the state agencies that administer the LIHEAP program. In early November, the Department of Health and Human Services announced the LIHEAP program would receive $33 million for home energy assistance in low-income households in Maine. While I’m glad that these funds are being released, the amount has been cut under sequestration — this is unacceptable. That’s why, as part of my role on the budget conference committee, I’ve been working to undo the sequester.  Finally, we need to keep in mind that our first line of defense against the bitter cold is proper home weatherization. Effective insulation plays an invaluable role keeping us warm by keeping the cold air out. For those qualifying for financial assistance, the Maine Housing Authority and Efficiency Maine, as well as the federal weatherization assistance program (WAP), offer weatherization grants that can help reduce heating costs by improving home energy efficiency. These are all important first steps and as we move into winter I will continue to keep a close eye on heating fuel prices, LIHEAP funding, and the difficult choices that some Mainers face in their efforts to keep warm. Please contact my state offices toll free at 1-800-432-1599 for assistance or more information.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-statement-on-the-passing-of-geneva-jean-michaud,King Statement on the Passing of Geneva “Jean” Michaud,2013-11-27,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Statement on the Passing of Geneva “Jean” Michaud Wednesday, November 27, 2013 BRUNSWICK, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King released the following statement today on the passing of Geneva “Jean” Michaud, mother of Congressman Mike Michaud: “I am saddened to learn of the passing of Jean Michaud, who by all accounts was a warm and loving woman, and whose kindness and generosity touched the lives of those fortunate to know her. “Indeed, all who knew Jean recall with great fondness her sense of humor, her love of politics and public service, and her unflagging desire to help others. Her devotion to her friends, to her community, and above all, to her beloved family is and always will be a testament to her extraordinary character. Maine has certainly lost a dear friend today. “My thoughts and prayers are with Congressman Michaud and his entire family during this difficult time.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-to-reduce-regulatory-burden-on-maine-grocery-and-convenience-stores-,King Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Reduce Regulatory Burden on Maine Grocery and Convenience Stores,2013-11-25,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Reduce Regulatory Burden on Maine Grocery and Convenience Stores Monday, November 25, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King, along with Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO), introduced legislation last week that would free grocery stores and other covered food establishments from the regulatory burdens of a poorly interpreted menu-labeling provision within the Affordable Care Act. Specifically, the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2013 would limit the scope of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to implement a chain restaurant menu labeling provision mandated by the new healthcare law. Signed into law in March 2010, the Affordable Care Act includes a provision that calls for a national, uniform nutrition-disclosure standard for foodservice establishments, originally intended for restaurants. Regulations implementing this provision released in 2011 by the FDA, however, also unexpectedly incorporated grocery and convenience stores. In addition, the proposed rule created rigid requirements that pose an unreasonable burden on many businesses by requiring them to provide calorie information for whole menu items, irrespective of the number of servings in the product delivered to customers. For example, pizza establishments would have to label their pizzas per whole pie rather than per slice. Additionally, many grocery and convenience stores, including many across Maine, offer food bars that would be impacted by the proposed rule. Senator King’s bill would codify a less burdensome approach to menu-labeling by allowing covered establishments greater flexibility in providing calorie information. Under the bill, covered establishments could present calorie information through one of several approaches, including: for the whole product the number of servings and the number of calories per serving the number of calories per the common unit of division “Grocers, restaurants, and food providers across Maine are already struggling with a sluggish economy and cumbersome federal regulations,” Senator King said. “Regulations play an important role in keeping people safe, but we have to ensure they are smart, targeted, and effective. Otherwise, they will only stifle economic growth. My common sense legislation with Senator Blunt is a scale-appropriate approach to menu labeling regulations that will provide consumers with the information they need without unnecessarily burdening food providers.” The National Association for Convenience Stores, the National Grocers Association and the Food Marketing Institute have endorsed Senator King’s bill, as well as Hannaford and the Maine Grocers Association: “Hannaford commends Senator King for the leadership he has shown in sponsoring legislation that ensures FDA does not overstep its authority in its imposition of menu labeling requirements,” said Teross Young, Vice President of Government Relations for Delhaize America, parent company of Hannaford. “Time spent dealing with costly and burdensome regulatory requirements is time we are not able to devote to serving our customers and providing them with the highest-quality produce, meat and deli products.” “The Maine Grocers Association thanks Senator King for sponsoring legislation that protects Maine’s supermarket operators, as well as the 200 family owned and operated grocery stores that operate under a marketing banner such as IGA or Shurfine, from potential FDA overreach when implementing restaurant menu labeling requirements,” said Shelley F. Doak, Executive Director of the Maine Grocers Association. “The bill introduced by Sen. King will allow Maine’s grocers to continue focusing on providing the fresh, local products that our customers desire.” For more information on The Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2013, click here. This legislation represents the second-time Senators King and Blunt have teamed-up to streamline ineffective federal regulations. In July, the Senators introduced the Regulatory Improvement Act of 2013, a bill that would create a Regulatory Improvement Commission to review outdated regulations with the goal of modifying, consolidating, or repealing regulations in order to reduce compliance costs, encourage growth and innovation, and improve competitiveness. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/article/our-view-filibuster-reform-right-move-for-senate,Our View: Filibuster reform right move for Senate,2013-11-23,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Our View: Filibuster reform right move for Senate Most Americans want action, not dysfunction, from Washington. By:  Press Herald Editorial Board Saturday, November 23, 2013 If there was a single issue that really mattered in the last U.S. Senate race in Maine, it was anger over the dysfunction in Washington. Independent Angus King ran on a promise to work with both parties, and to challenge the rules of the Senate that give a minority of senators the ability to stop the other branches of government from doing their jobs. Pundits said that you can’t build a campaign around “process” instead of policy, but King won with 53 percent of the vote, no mean trick for a non-party candidate in a three-way race. Maine voters got what they asked for Thursday when King voted with most Democrats to change the Senate rules to allow an up-or-down vote for every executive branch appointment and judicial nomination for courts other than the Supreme Court. This has been described as a “nuclear” attack, a “naked power grab” by Democrats that jettisons centuries of tradition. But it’s not. It is a much-needed correction for an institution that was not functioning. With congressional approval ratings in the single digits, this was no time to stick with business as usual. It’s not surprising that most of the criticism comes from Republican senators, who say this will change the way the body has operated for centuries. “This is contrary to not only the long-standing rules of the Senate but our traditions of respecting minority (party) rights,” said Maine Sen. Susan Collins. But it is what the Republicans have been doing in the Senate over the last four-and-a-half years that is the real aberration, and the new Senate rules will bring the practice back to something closer to the norm. As Reid pointed out Thursday, there have been 168 filibusters of executive and judicial nominations in the nation’s history. Half of them have occurred during the Obama administration. He said there have been 23 filibusters of district court nominations in the entire history of our country. Twenty of those were nominated by Obama. The break with tradition did not start on Thursday. If all these blocked nominations were because Obama was nominating ideological extremists, it might make sense. But even when they block these candidates from being considered, Republican senators say that it’s not about the nominee’s qualifications. William Kayatta, a Portland lawyer with stellar qualifications and the endorsement of Maine’s two Republican senators, saw his nomination for the U.S. Court of Appeals stalled for more than a year by senators who had hoped that a Republican would win the 2012 presidential election and nominate someone else. This not only interfered with the work of the courts, but it gave all potential nominees a reason to think twice about accepting a nomination. And as for giving power to the Democrats, that’s true for now but may not be true much longer. The Democrats are holding on to a 53-45 majority that they could easily lose. If the Republicans were to regain the Senate and the White House in the next two elections, it is unlikely that they would change these new rules, even though they now call them “bad for our Democracy.” They would want their party to be able to name judges and executive branch officials to carry out the voters wishes. Sen. Republican leader Sen. Mitch McConnell was exactly right when he said “The solution to this problem is an election.” That is where these kind of issues should be decided. The voters elect a president and Congress, and they lead the government. It turns out that you can have an election on “process.” And most voters would favor action over dysfunction every time.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-135000-for-damariscotta-mills-fish-ladder-restoration-project-,"Collins, King Announce $135,000 for Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder Restoration Project",2013-11-23,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Collins, King Announce $135,000 for Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder Restoration Project Saturday, November 23, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the Nobleboro Historical Society has been awarded a $135,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to support the Final Phase of the Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder Restoration project.  “Fish ladders play an indispensable role maintaining the balance of our marine ecosystem as well as the health of our lakes, rivers, and streams,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “This grant will help support our fishing communities by strengthening the local food chains that they depend on. Enabling alewives, and other feeder fish, to access spawning grounds is an important step in that process. We are pleased to support the community effort to restore and improve this historic fish ladder. It is a wonderful local attraction where families from all over Maine can experience one of nature’s most spectacular events when the fish run every spring.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/this-week-in-washington-filibuster-reform-ndaa-and-sec-hagels-visit-to-biw,"This Week in Washington: Filibuster Reform, NDAA, and Sec. Hagel’s visit to BIW",2013-11-22,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"This Week in Washington: Filibuster Reform, NDAA, and Sec. Hagel’s visit to BIW Friday, November 22, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – In his ongoing effort to keep people at home up to date with his work in the Senate, U.S. Senator Angus King took a few minutes to highlight this week’s events in Washington. In his recap, Senator King discussed: - His recent vote in support of filibuster reform, which reflects his belief that judicial and executive nominees, excluding Supreme Court nominees, deserve an up-or-down vote in the Senate regardless of what party is in the majority or controls the White House.  - His work on the National Defense Authorization Act, which contains several provisions designed to support Maine’s shipbuilding and footwear industries.   - Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel’s visit to BIW, following invitations from Senator King and Senator Collins. The full video of Senator King’s weekly recap can be viewed below. A broadcast quality version of the video can also be downloaded here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/blog/sec-hagel-visits-bath-iron-works,Sec. Hagel Visits Bath Iron Works,2013-11-21,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Thursday, November 21, 2013 Sec. Hagel Visits Bath Iron Works On Thursday, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel visited Bath Iron Works to witness firsthand the shipyard's immeasurable value and significant contributions to our Navy and national defense. The men and women at BIW are among the finest shipbuilders in the world. Their commitment to excellence and dedication to building the highest quality ships is unparalleled. While visiting the facility, Sec. Hagel had an opportunity to tour the recently launched USS Zumwalt, the first DDG-1000. Department of Defense photos of his tour can be viewed here. For more information see below: Hagel Visits First Zumwalt-class Destroyer By Karen Parrish American Forces Press Service BATH, Maine, Nov. 21, 2013 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the not-yet-launched Zumwalt-class destroyer he toured here today “represents the cutting edge of our naval capabilities.” The ship, now known as the Pre-Commissioning Unit, or PCU, Zumwalt, will become the USS Zumwalt, named for former Navy Adm. Elmo Zumwalt. Officials said the ship is about a year away from joining the fleet. Now littered with large protective crates storing systems not yet installed, the ship is being fitted with new automated systems. The Zumwalt, Navy officials explained, has highly accurate long-range weapons, an impressive power generation capability and a design emphasizing “stealthy” radar-defeating materials and shapes. The ship will be home ported in San Diego, Hagel noted, and it “represents an important shift … in America’s interests to the Asia-Pacific,” he told a mixed crowd of sailors, government civilians and General Dynamics employees assembled near where the ship is docked. Hagel thanked General Dynamics and its workforce at Bath Iron Works, which will produce all three of the Zumwalt-class ships planned for production. The secretary called the facility “a magnificent institution that’s been part of the security of this country for 130 years.” The secretary also spoke to a number of sailors and defense civilians present, who are working to get the ship ready for active duty. Hagel thanked them and their families for their service. Sharon E. Burke, assistant secretary of defense for operational energy plans and programs, accompanied Hagel’s delegation on the ship tour. Later, she spoke to reporters while en route to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where Hagel landed later in the day for an international security forum that starts tomorrow. Burke said that the ship’s power generation capacity -- 78 megawatts, impressed her. One megawatt of power can power about 1,000 American homes. The massive amount of available power makes the ship expandable for future weapon systems such as rail guns, which “take a lot of pulse power,” Burke noted. “Also, you’re running a lot of very sophisticated systems on that ship,” she said. “It gives them a lot of room to be able to run all those systems.” The ship can generate 78 megawatts of power, and can channel it to propulsion, shipboard use and weapons systems. Officials said the guided missile destroyer is the first Navy ship to be fully electrical, and it was designed to use automated systems as much as possible to decrease the number of sailors needed as crew. For example, officials said, automatic systems route, store and load the 300 rounds of 24-pound ammunition each of the ship’s two 155mm guns can fire. The guns have, in testing, successfully fired at a rate of 10 rounds a minute and with 20- to 40-inch accuracy at a range of more than 60 nautical miles, officials noted. (Follow Karen Parrish on Twitter: @ParrishAFPS)",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/blog/staying-warm-this-winter,Staying Warm this Winter,2013-11-21,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Thursday, November 21, 2013 Staying Warm this Winter by Senator Angus King The days are shorter, temperatures are dropping, and families across the state are preparing for the cold months ahead.  As winter arrives, a large portion of Mainers’ incomes will be devoted to keeping warm.  With each passing year, the cost of heating rises and for many families a higher heating bill means making difficult decisions.  Families may be forced to choose between staying warm and other necessities like food or medicine. In Congress, I’ve been tackling this issue on two fronts: by working to reduce heating costs and to maintain adequate funding for programs such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Mainers who rely on heating oil are often those who must shoulder the greatest financial burden. Home heating oil is expensive, the price is volatile, and its emissions are harmful to our natural environment. That’s why I’ve been encouraging the transition away from oil, towards renewable and domestic energy sources like biomass, wind, solar, and natural gas.  This year, Senator Susan Collins and I introduced legislation to promote the economic and environmental benefits of biomass thermal energy. The Biomass Thermal Utilization Act of 2013 amends the tax code so that thermal biomass systems receive the same tax incentives as other renewable energy technologies. Biomass systems, such as wood pellet boilers, offer a local and efficient way to generate heat, save money, and invest in our state. I know this is just a first step in helping keep people warm during the winter.  As cost-saving opportunities offered by gas and alternative energy sources continue to evolve, cold winters remain a serious challenge for our state’s most vulnerable families.  In the face of persistently high energy prices, it is essential that we have in place adequate home heating safety nets for who need them most. Recognizing the significance of LIHEAP funds to millions of Americans, a group of senators, including myself, wrote to the Obama Administration urging the immediate release of federal heating aid to the state agencies that administer the LIHEAP program. In early November, the Department of Health and Human Services announced the LIHEAP program would receive $33 million for home energy assistance in low-income households in Maine. While I’m glad that these funds are being released, the amount has been cut under sequestration – this is unacceptable. That’s why, as part of my role on the budget conference committee, I’ve been working to undo the sequester. Finally, we need to keep in mind that our first line of defense against the bitter cold is proper home weatherization.  Effective insulation plays an invaluable role keeping us warm by keeping the cold air out.  For those qualifying for financial assistance, the Maine Housing Authority and Efficiency Maine, as well as the federal weatherization assistance program (WAP), offer weatherization grants that can help reduce heating costs by improving home energy efficiency. These are all important first steps and as we move into winter I will continue to keep a close eye on heating fuel prices, LIHEAP funding, and the difficult choices that some Mainers face in their efforts to keep warm. Please contact my state offices toll free at 1-800-432-1599 for assistance or more information.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-statement-on-vote-to-alter-filibuster-rule,King Statement on Vote to Alter Filibuster Rule,2013-11-21,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Statement on Vote to Alter Filibuster Rule Thursday, November 21, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) released the following statement today after voting in support of a rule change that alters the filibuster to allow for a majority vote threshold on executive and judicial nominations, except those to the Supreme Court: “I entered the Senate with significant concern for the way the filibuster was being continually, and in my belief, inappropriately, used to stall judicial and executive nominations and prevent legislation from moving forward. Over the past eleven months in office, and despite several earlier informal agreements brokered to ameliorate the problem, I believe the abuse of the filibuster has only grown worse, most recently with repeated partisan objections to a series of the President’s nominees to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. “It is important to me to go back to the language of the Constitution on this question. Article II, Section 2, defines the President’s power to enter into treaties, make executive and judicial nominations, and identifies the role of the Senate in this process. Significantly, this provision specifies that the President’s power to enter into treaties must be approved by two-thirds of the Senate, while in the same sentence, no such super-majority requirement is imposed in connection with presidential appointments. I believe that today’s action is more fully consistent with the terms of the Constitution than the previous extra-Constitutional practice which imposed a super-majority requirement for these nominations. “My support of the rule change was not an easy decision to reach, but it reflects my belief that these nominees deserve an up-or-down vote by the Senate, regardless of which party is in the majority or which party controls the White House, and that a structural adjustment was necessary in order for that to occur and for the Senate to function better as an institution. It is important to underscore that this change still preserves protections for the minority in the consideration of legislation, and only modifies the filibuster as it pertains to judicial and executive nominations, excluding those to the Supreme Court. “Moving forward, I urge my colleagues to see the importance and value of vigorous debate and thoughtful compromise. The country only suffers when we are not able to bridge the partisan divide and, instead, utilize procedural moves to obstruct the work of the Congress from going forward. There is a significant amount of work that the Senate, and Congress as a whole, needs to accomplish and if we are to move the nation forward, we will need to find ways to work together.”  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-collins-king-welcome-defense-secretary-to-bath-iron-works,"Senators Collins, King Welcome Defense Secretary to Bath Iron Works",2013-11-21,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senators Collins, King Welcome Defense Secretary to Bath Iron Works Thursday, November 21, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Senators Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, and Angus King, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today welcomed U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel to Bath Iron Works.  Both Senator Collins and Senator King extended invitations to Secretary Hagel to visit all defense facilities in Maine, including BIW, during his confirmation process earlier this year.  Unfortunately, due to Senate consideration of the Fiscal Year 2014 National Defense Authorization bill, neither Senator was able to accompany Secretary Hagel on his visit. “I am delighted that Secretary Hagel has accepted our invitation to see our nation's finest shipyard, and I know he will be impressed with the work of the dedicated men and women of Bath Iron Works,” said Senator Collins. “BIW remains an extraordinary asset to the Navy, and I am pleased that Secretary Hagel will have the opportunity for a first-hand look at the ongoing shipyard programs, including a tour of the very first DDG-1000.  While I regret that official Senate business prevents me from accompanying the Secretary, I am confident that he will see the exceptional skill and experience of BIW's workers and the tremendous efficiencies in the yard that reap benefits for the Navy and the taxpayers.” “I am pleased to join Senator Collins in welcoming Secretary Hagel to Maine and to Bath Iron Works, and regret that I could not personally accompany him on his tour due to ongoing work in the Senate,” Senator King said. “The Secretary's visit comes at an important time for the shipyard as it completes its work on the cutting-edge DDG-1000, and I have no doubt that during his tour he will come to witness firsthand the shipyard's immeasurable value, its significant contributions to our Navy and national defense, as well as its world-class workforce, all of whom are committed to building nothing but the finest ships in the world.” Secretary Hagel will visit BIW en route to meetings this weekend at the Halifax Security Conference.  Senator Collins is also scheduled to attend the conference and to meet with Secretary Hagel while there. Senator King met personally with Secretary Hagel earlier this month at the Pentagon. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/article/mt-ararat-makes-textbooks-real-with-capitol-class,Mt. Ararat makes textbooks real with ‘Capitol Class’,2013-11-19,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Mt. Ararat makes textbooks real with ‘Capitol Class’ By:  Darcie Moore Tuesday, November 19, 2013 Teaching students the structure of the nation’s government, teacher Sewall Janeway said he tries to make class special every year by finding a way to make textbook material come alive. That is why he contacted U.S. Sen. Angus King’s office in September. King “came to” Mt. Ararat High School on Nov. 7 with a virtual appearance via Skype — the online video-conferencing service. Recently, seniors in both Advanced Placement government classes gathered in the high school’s Learning Commons — formerly the library, now transformed into a place that now combines the library and technology experience — to pepper King with questions about governance. King answered, the conversation was recorded on both ends, and the exchange is now posted on YouTube where the two video streams play side-by-side. It is a program King does called “Capitol Class.” Thus far, Janeway said, Mt. Ararat is one of only a few schools to participate. Students asked King several questions, ranging from the difference between the jobs of governor and senator; the challenges and opportunities he’s faced as an independent in a partisan Congress; how many bills he’s sponsored and that process; how he was appointed to committees — Armed Services, Budget, Rules and Intelligence; and to weigh in on the direction of the Affordable Care Act and campaign finance. Isabella Leon of Harpswell said, “Every class we start out talking about the current events ... so we get a good sense of what’s happening, and then relate it to what we’re studying about the government.” The class has studied Congress and the presidency and just studied the Supreme Court. “I’m really happy we’re talking about current events, just because it opens my eyes to what’s going on — the different parties, too,” Leon said. “And it’s kind of nice to talk about the governmental structure as well.” Jonah Levy of Harpswell planned to ask King about his committee work, which King answered in his introduction, so Levy asked King what work he had been doing on the Intelligence Committee. “It’s only his first year and he’s already got such a diverse set of issues he’s dealing with,” Levy said. Ellison Etnier of Harpswell said he was surprised to hear King hasn’t been approached by many lobbyists, “and I was expecting a lot of people to be approaching him, especially as an independent who could potentially be swayed from one side to the other.” Levy added that one would think that, as a newcomer to the Senate, lobbyists would want to influence him early on. Connie Hodge of Topsham asked King if he would run again for the Senate, and his response — that it is too early to be able to answer that — surprised Leon. Hodge added that “I feel like that’s always on their minds,” and as a politician he would always be working to garner the favor of his constituency. “He said it was like asking us if we knew what we were going to do after college,” Leon said. “I was very impressed with how quick on his feet he was,” Janeway said. “He didn’t say ‘uh’ or ‘um’ and he felt very loose and comfortable and interested.” “He used a lot of vocabulary terms from our book, which is neat to have that brought to life,” Leon said — terms like “oversight” and “conference committee.” “That’s one of the things about government. Some of what you learn in a textbook, I hate to say it, it’s a little bit dry. But having (King) talk about it definitely made it more interesting because you see how it actually works,” Etnier said. Hodge said she almost didn’t take the class but she is glad she did, “because I’m going to be 18 soon and so I’ll get to vote so knowing all this stuff is going to make it a lot easier to decide which kind of things I want to vote for and understand what they’re about on the ballot because there are a lot of complicated things.” Every year Janeway has a different group, sometimes highly charged, partisan groups he can barely keep from yelling at each other about issues. But this year’s class is focused on process versus arguing policy, he said, which is what the curriculum is about. While it’s an off-election year, there’s always something big going on; most recently the government shutdown and the Affordable Care Act debate and “every year there seems to be something we can latch onto and make the stuff that’s in our textbook real,” Janeway said. “It doesn’t fail.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/media/11-19-13-sen-king-on-the-takeaway,"11-19-13 Sen. King on ""The Takeaway""",2013-11-19,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content 11-19-13 Sen. King on ""The Takeaway""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-and-rockefeller-urge-hospital-physician-support-for-medicare-drug-savings-act,"KING AND ROCKEFELLER URGE HOSPITAL, PHYSICIAN SUPPORT FOR MEDICARE DRUG SAVINGS ACT",2013-11-18,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"KING AND ROCKEFELLER URGE HOSPITAL, PHYSICIAN SUPPORT FOR MEDICARE DRUG SAVINGS ACT Legislation proposed as a permanent way to pay for “Doc fix” Monday, November 18, 2013 WASHINGTON D.C.— Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Chairman of the Health Care Subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee, and Senator Angus King (I-ME), are asking more than 65 physician, provider, and hospital groups for their support of the Medicare Drug Savings Act which provides a path to permanently fix the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR). These groups stand to benefit the most from a stable reimbursement system, which is why Senators Rockefeller and King have asked for their support in urging other Senators to vote to return to the pharmaceutical payment system which existed before Medicare Part D was enacted 10 years ago.  “Year after year, it has not been how to reconfigure the Medicare payment system that has stymied progress but the failure to identify a way to pay for these changes. This year may finally be different,” Rockefeller and King wrote. “The Medicare Drug Savings Act is a sensible way to pay for replacing the SGR. It would return drug pricing for the dual eligibles to the same mechanism that was used prior to the passage of Part D and still for the Medicaid program, a mechanism that would not harm patients, doctors or hospitals in any way.  With this simple change we can finally move beyond the SGR and create needed certainty and stability for both physicians and hospitals.” To read a sample letter, please click here and full text of the letter is below. A comprehensive list of groups the Senators contacted is available upon request. In late October, Rockefeller recommended to his colleagues on the Senate Finance Committee that the Medicare Drug Savings Act be used to pay for the so-called “Doc fix”, as it would save $141.2 billion over ten years – a savings that could fully pay for the permanent SGR fix. The Medicare Drug Savings Act restores discount pricing on medications for low-income patients who are dually eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid.  Even though these are among the most vulnerable patients, Congress removed their rebated pricing in 2003 when it created the Medicare drug benefit. The bill would restore those rebates, which would provide the savings needed to fix the SGR once and for all. Through a series of patches, Congress has already spent $150 billion on the SGR problem without actually fixing it.  Rockefeller and King believe the Medicare Drug Savings Act is a path to a comprehensive and permanent fix to this issue that does not harm beneficiaries. This year, CBO estimates the cost of a permanent fix could be nearly $140 billion dollars over ten years, a much lower cost estimate than in past years. It is also less than the amount Congress has spent on consecutive short-term fixes to the problem. While Congress could simply patch the program again, that would do nothing to create stability in the program for Medicare providers and their patients, and it would waste the opportunity presented this year by CBO’s lower cost estimate for a permanent SGR fix.    About the SGR:  Medicare payments for services of physicians and certain non-physician practitioners are made on the basis of a fee schedule, commonly referred to as the sustainable growth rate (SGR) system. The SGR formula was originally intended to rein in the growth in Medicare costs by setting some boundaries on physician reimbursement.  While the formula was well-intended, rising medical costs ended up triggering unpopular cuts to physicians’ Medicare payments.  Year after year, Congress patched the program and postponed these cuts.  But now, the cuts have accumulated and, unless Congress intervenes, Medicare physician payments will be reduced by 25 percent on January 1, 2014. If such a large cut were made, it is believed that physicians would leave the Medicare program.  Full text of the letter is below: We are writing to you regarding the Sustainable Growth rate (SGR).  While well intended, this 1997 deficit reduction effort, which set Medicare reimbursement rates using a formula tied to economic growth, “has failed to restrain volume growth and, in fact, may have exacerbated it."" (Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, October 14, 2011 letter to lawmakers). There is widespread, bipartisan agreement that the SGR is broken beyond repair and yet, year after year, a permanent fix has remained out of reach.  While there remains some difference of opinion on the details of what would replace the SGR, the general outlines are clear.  We must continue to move toward a system of payment that encourages wise treatment decisions and focuses on the quality of care provided with an eye toward improving outcomes in a cost-effective way.  Year after year, it has not been how to reconfigure the Medicare payment system that has stymied progress but the failure to identify a way to pay for these changes.  This year may finally be different.  At $138 billion over ten years, the base cost of permanently replacing the SGR is at the lowest it has been in years.  At the same time, the cost to taxpayers of paying non-discounted drug prices for the 9.6 million Americans who rely on both Medicare and Medicaid is at an all-time high.  Just by going back to paying rebate pricing for this group (less than 20% of the full Medicare population), $141.2 billion could be saved over ten years, fully paying for the a permanent fix of the SGR. The Medicare Drug Savings Act (S. 740,  H.R. 1588) is a sensible way to pay for replacing the SGR. It would return drug pricing for the dual eligibles to the same mechanism that was used prior to the passage of Part D and still for the Medicaid program, a mechanism that would not harm patients, doctors or hospitals in any way.  With this simple change we can finally move beyond the SGR and create needed certainty and stability for both physicians and hospitals. This solution will not be possible without your help.  It is time for every provider that relies on Medicare to take a stand not just on the need to eliminate the SGR but on a sensible way to get it done.  If your policy committee has not yet reviewed the Medicare Drug Savings Act, we ask that you have them do so as soon as possible.  Your endorsement of this key legislation could be the difference between yet another short-term patch and a permanent solution.   Sincerely,                            John D. Rockefeller IV                  Angus King ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/oped/alternative-web-sites-provide-information-about-insurance-plans-under-aca_read-more-st-john-valley-times---column-alternative-web-sites-provide-information-about-insurance-plans-under-aca-,Alternative Web sites provide information about insurance plans under ACA Read more: St. John Valley Times - COLUMN Alternative Web sites provide information about insurance plans under ACA,2013-11-16,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Alternative Web sites provide information about insurance plans under ACA Read more: St. John Valley Times - COLUMN Alternative Web sites provide information about insurance plans under ACA By:  Senator Angus S. King, Jr. Saturday, November 16, 2013 Millions of Americans across the country have expressed their frustrations with the new healthcare Web site. I count myself among those who are disappointed with the President’s rollout of the Affordable Care Act. The failure to create a functioning Web site to provide people with the necessary information and resources to enroll in new insurance plans is inexcusable. Furthermore, it has left a large number of folks in the uncomfortable position of losing their existing plans, while unable to learn about new options available to them. That is why I supported the President’s one year delay on the expiration of existing plans that had previously been canceled because they do not meet the ACA’s standards. His proposal will allow people more time to consider their options while continuing their current coverage. However, despite problems with the new healthcare law’s implementation, it’s important to keep in mind that the purpose of the law is to offer higher quality health insurance to more people at a more affordable price. A goal that I still believe marks a step in the right direction for our country. Every year, too many lives are lost from a lack of healthcare insurance - taking an unbearable toll on our communities and the strength of our economy. So as the White House works to resolve problems with healthcare.gov, I am encouraging people to access information about available insurance plans under the ACA through alternative resources. For example, TheHeathSherpa.com allows visitors to compare healthcare plans that meet ACA standards in the 34 states without existing marketplace Web sites, including Maine. While plans cannot be purchased through the site itself, it offers a way to learn about which options best meet their unique need and direct users to private insurance sites or telephone numbers to call to enroll. Another useful resource is enroll207.com. Enroll207 is a project started by the Maine Health Access Foundation that connects people with certified assisters who can help Mainers review options through the Maine Health Insurance Marketplace. They provide free and confidential services and a great side-by-side comparison of different policies available. To learn about other resources, feel free to contact members of my staff in Maine at 800-432-1599. It is my hope that the Administration will have successfully fixed the Web site by the end of the month at which point people in Maine and across the country will be able to enroll in new insurance plans that provide quality coverage at a lower cost. Until then, however, I remain committed to providing Mainers with as many resources as possible to learn about options available to them.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/blog/this-week-in-washington-judicial-nominations-budget-proposal-and-ndaa,"This Week in Washington: Judicial Nominations, Budget Proposal, and NDAA",2013-11-15,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content Friday, November 15, 2013 This Week in Washington: Judicial Nominations, Budget Proposal, and NDAA",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/this-week-in-washington-judicial-nominations-budget-proposal-and-ndaa,"This Week in Washington: Judicial Nominations, Budget Proposal, and NDAA",2013-11-15,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"This Week in Washington: Judicial Nominations, Budget Proposal, and NDAA Friday, November 15, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – In his continued effort to keep folks at home up to date with his work in Washington, U.S. Senator Angus King took a few minutes to discuss the events of this past week in the nation’s capital. In his weekly recap, Senator King addressed:  His frustration with recent Republican filibusters that have prevented the confirmation of judicial nominees to the D.C. District Court of Appeals. The National Defense Authorization Act, which the Senate is expected to take up next week, and which also contains several important priorities for Maine’s shipbuilding and footwear industries. The full video of Senator King’s weekly recap can be viewed below. A broadcast quality version of the video can also be downloaded here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-statement-on-presidents-decision-to-allow-insurers-to-renew-canceled-health-insurance-plans,King Statement on President’s Decision to Allow Insurers to Renew Canceled Health Insurance Plans,2013-11-14,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Statement on President’s Decision to Allow Insurers to Renew Canceled Health Insurance Plans Thursday, November 14, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) released the following statement today after President Obama announced that he would be directing his Administration to pursue an administrative fix to the Affordable Care Act that will allow health insurance companies to renew plans that do not meet the standards set forth by the new law: “I have been disappointed by the Administration’s flawed rollout of the Affordable Care Act, particularly its failure to create a functional website the problems with which are now preventing Mainers and Americans from finding and enrolling in new health insurance plans. “I have also been troubled by the stories of people receiving health insurance cancellation notices. The fact is that President Obama reassured Americans with a simple and straightforward promise: if they liked their health insurance plan, they could keep it. That assurance, however, was clearly not accurate, which is why I am pleased that he took a step today to fully honor his promise. I agree with his decision to pursue an administrative fix that will allow individuals the opportunity to stay on their existing plans for an additional year while they explore new options once the website issues are resolved. It will allow people more time to consider their options while continuing their current coverage. “It’s important to keep in mind that the entire goal of the Affordable Care Act is to offer higher quality health insurance to more people at a more affordable price, and I will work with my colleagues in pursuit of that.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/article/angus-king-proposes-budget-compromise,Angus King proposes budget compromise,2013-11-13,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Angus King proposes budget compromise By:  Erik Wasson Wednesday, November 13, 2013 Sen. Angus King (I-Maine.) on Wednesday floated a compromise proposal to the new House-Senate budget conference committee on which he serves.   The King plan seeks to strike a balance between entitlement cuts, tax loophole closing and tax rate reduction to get both Democrats and Republicans onboard. The proposal would replace half of the next eight years of sequester cuts while also lowering the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 32.5 percent.   Budget conference chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said only that he welcomed suggestions from all panelists, when King referenced the plan in brief remarks during the second meeting of the budget panel on Wednesday.   So far the group has been at logger-heads over whether any tax revenue would be included in a two-year sequester-replacement deal.    The King plan replaces $455 billion of sequestration with $200 billion in new revenue and $255 billion in entitlement reforms. The initial plan does not specify which tax breaks or which entitlement benefits would be cut.    Additional revenue from the tax loopholes would be used to lower the corporate tax rate and to create a $50 billion infrastructure stimulus fund.    The remaining sequester would be changed under the King plan using a method known as ""smoothing"" which would lower the growth of spending in out years in order to pay for bumping up near term cuts.  King told reporters that the economy is too weak now to allow sequestration in ther near term.   ""This is not the time to be creating a headwind for the economy. The very best way to reduce the deficit is to foster economic growth,"" he said.  He said the plan should work because ""there is something in here for everybody to hate."" “For far too long, Congress has acted irresponsibly with its budgeting process. It’s time that we actually put together a plan that will instill certainty and confidence into our economy and show the American people we can still govern,” King said, in a release.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-urge-american-airlines-us-airways-to-consider-impact-of-merger-on-maine-airports-and-communities,"Collins, King Urge American Airlines, US Airways to Consider Impact of Merger on Maine Airports and Communities",2013-11-13,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Collins, King Urge American Airlines, US Airways to Consider Impact of Merger on Maine Airports and Communities Wednesday, November 13, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a letter, U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Ranking Member of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, and Senator Angus King today urged the heads of American Airlines and US Airways to consider the potential impact that any reduction in service caused by the airlines’ proposed merger might have on small- and medium-sized airports in Maine and on the economies of local communities. “Maintaining direct access between small- and medium-sized communities and our nation’s capital is important for facilitating commerce and tourism for residents, businesses, and visitors,” Senators Collins and King wrote. “As you conduct your review, we urge you to make the process transparent and to evaluate the consequences of slot divestiture on the economies of small- and medium-sized communities, like the Cities of Bangor and Portland, and the surrounding regions of Maine.” Earlier today, it was announced that the U.S. Department of Justice has reached an agreement with the airlines that would allow the proposed merger to proceed as long as the airlines divested certain takeoff and landing slots. Senators Collins and King have repeatedly urged federal and private officials to closely and carefully review the impact that a merger would have on Maine airports, particularly Portland International Jetport and Bangor International Airport. The complete text of the Senators’ letter is below: Mr. Thomas W. Horton Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President AMR Corporation P.O. Box 619616 Dallas Fort Worth Airport, TX 75261-9616  Mr. W. Douglas Parker Chairman and Chief Executive Officer US Airways Group, Inc. 111 West Rio Salado Parkway Tempe, AZ 85281  Dear Mr. Horton and Mr. Parker, We are writing to express our concern about the potential reduction in service to small- and medium-sized airports as a consequence of the proposed merger of American Airlines and US Airways.  As you work with the U.S. Department of Justice to determine which slots will be divested, we urge you to consider carefully the impact on regional airports throughout the country, including those in Maine.  Officials from the City Council of Bangor, Maine, the Bangor International Airport, and the Portland International Jetport have informed us that a reduction of slots at Reagan National Airport could result in reduced flights to Bangor, Portland, and other small- to medium-sized communities throughout the country.  These airports are a particularly important transportation link for Maine and other states that rely on tourism to help fuel their economy. Maintaining direct access between small- and medium-sized communities and our nation's capital is important for facilitating commerce and tourism for residents, businesses, and visitors.  As you conduct your review, we urge you to make the process transparent and to evaluate the consequences of slot divestiture on the economies of small- and medium-sized communities, like the Cities of Bangor and Portland, and the surrounding regions in Maine. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-offers-budget-proposal-to-conference-committee,King Offers Budget Proposal to Conference Committee,2013-11-13,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Offers Budget Proposal to Conference Committee Wednesday, November 13, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – During the second public meeting of the Budget Conference Committee today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) offered his colleagues a preliminary proposal to mitigate the impact of sequestration and to promote economic growth. “As members of the Budget Conference Committee, we not only have a tremendous opportunity, but an obligation, to work together to reach a budget agreement that sets our country on a path to fiscal stability. For far too long, Congress has acted irresponsibly with its budgeting process. It’s time that we actually put together a plan that will instill certainty and confidence into our economy and show the American people we can still govern,” Senator King said. “The proposal I introduced today will most likely not be the final answer, but with only a month to go before the committee reaches its deadline, my plan is intended to be a contribution to the discussion that will be taking place over the next several weeks. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the committee, hearing their thoughts, and finding a path forward.” The “Grande” plan – a reference to Starbuck’s middle-sized drink – is intended to be a middle-of-the-road, compromise plan that would alleviate roughly half of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014-2021 sequester, which amounts to approximately $455 billion, over the course of eight years. The sequester relief would be paid for with $200 billion in revenues generated by closing corporate tax loopholes and $255 billion in savings generated from entitlement reforms. The plan raises more than $525 billion in new revenues over ten years by closing corporate tax loopholes. More than half of the new revenue raised would be dedicated to federal corporate tax rate reduction, bringing the rate down from 35 percent to roughly 32.5 percent. The remaining portion is dedicated to raising the sequester caps implemented by the Budget Control Act, and putting $50 billion in funds toward infrastructure investment. Sequester “smoothing” – the concept of leveling out the growth rate in spending cap levels by lowering future year increases – will mitigate the sequester in the early years. Key Elements of the “Grande” Plan  Purpose: An eight year deal, including mandatory cuts, revenues, and “smoothing” to substantially mitigate the effects of the FY14-21 sequester, but produce the same deficit reduction effect.  Steps: Cut the FY2014-FY2021 sequester caps roughly in half through a combination of mandatory cuts ($255 billion) and revenues derived from reducing corporate tax expenditures ($200 billion). Generate $325 billion in additional revenue from corporate tax reform to be applied to corporate rate reduction ($275 billion) and an infrastructure fund ($50 billion).  The U.S. federal corporate tax rate would be reduced from 35 percent to 32.5 percent. Apply the smoothing concept to further alleviate the sequester in the early years, and smooth out projected growth in future years to accommodate sequester relief in the early year.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-recommends-temporary-alternative-to-healthcaregov,King Recommends Temporary Alternative to Healthcare.gov,2013-11-12,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Recommends Temporary Alternative to Healthcare.gov Tuesday, November 12, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King is recommending the website TheHealthSherpa.com as a temporary alternative for those experiencing difficulties with Healthcare.gov. The site, created by George Kalogeropoulos, Ning Liang and Michael Wasser of San Francisco, California, allows users to quickly and easily compare healthcare plans covered under the Affordable Care Act in the 34 states without existing marketplace websites, including Maine. Plans cannot be purchased through the HealthSherpa site itself, but users are directed to private insurance sites or offered telephone numbers to call to enroll. “HealthSherpa offers a user-friendly platform to quickly browse through available health insurance plan options, including monthly premium costs, coverage plans, and possible premium subsidies,” Senator King said. “I recommend that Mainers who are having trouble with Healthcare.gov use HealthSherpa as a temporary alternative until the federal website functions properly.” http://www.thehealthsherpa.com/ ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-honors-service-men-and-women-in-observance-of-veterans-day,King Honors Service Men and Women in Observance of Veterans Day,2013-11-11,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Honors Service Men and Women in Observance of Veterans Day Monday, November 11, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – In observance of Veterans Day, U.S. Senator Angus King today released the following statement thanking the brave men and women of our armed forces, and those who served before them, for their exceptional service to our country. Veterans Day was first proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson on November 11, 1919. It is an official federal holiday that honors all of America’s veterans for their selfless courage in the face of danger and unwavering commitment to the defense of our great nation. Below is Senator King’s full statement. “For generations, the brave men and women of our armed forces have stood proudly in defense of this country. Their tireless efforts and unfailing bravery have kept us safe in times of peril.  This Veterans Day, we reflect upon their service and the debt of honor that we owe them and their families. It is a time for us to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice, those who have returned safely to our shores, and the future generations of veterans to whom we must rededicate ourselves. On battlefields from Bunker Hill to Baghdad and Kandahar, their unparalleled professionalism and selfless sacrifice exemplify the best of America: strength, loyalty, and unwavering dedication to the welfare of others.  “We must also bear in mind that we remain a nation at war, and today, there are tens of thousands of service men and women serving in Afghanistan and other places far from the safety of home. They, and the generations of Americans who have proudly worn the uniform before them, deserve the unwavering support of a grateful nation. No veteran should have to live on the streets of a country they defended.  No veteran should have to endure a lengthy backlog to receive the benefits that they earned. All veterans deserve only the highest quality of care and support that our country can offer; fulfilling that promise is one of our most sacred duties.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/media/novembers-inside-maine-on-wgan-with-senator-murrary-part-1,"November's Inside Maine on WGAN with Senator Murrary, Part 1",2013-11-09,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content November's Inside Maine on WGAN with Senator Murrary, Part 1",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/media/novembers-inside-maine-on-wgan-with-senator-portman-part-2,"November's Inside Maine on WGAN with Senator Portman, Part 2",2013-11-09,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content November's Inside Maine on WGAN with Senator Portman, Part 2",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/article/senate-intelligence-committee-approves-amendment-for-some-accountabilty-when-using-lethal-force,Senate Intelligence Committee approves amendment for some accountabilty when using lethal force,2013-11-08,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senate Intelligence Committee approves amendment for some accountabilty when using lethal force By:  Contributed Friday, November 8, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence approved an amendment on November 5 that would require an independent group to conduct a ""red-team analysis"" if the government is considering the legality or the use of targeted lethal force against a known U.S. person located outside the U.S. who is involved in international terrorism. The committee adopted the provision as an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2014 Intelligence Authorization Act. The Committee approved the Authorization Act by a vote of 13-2 on Tuesday. U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) authored the amendment and introduced it first in May as S. 1035, the Targeted Strike Oversight Reform Act of 2013. ""Our amendment aims to provide an additional layer of accountability within the decision-making process when the government concludes that a U.S. person is engaged in international terrorism and that lethal force against them may be necessary to prevent an attack,"" Senator King said. ""In such a distinctive case, this amendment would ensure that an independent group (or ""red team"") reviews the facts and that the details of that review are shared with the Congressional Intelligence Committees. As I have said repeatedly, the executive branch should not serve as the judge, the jury and the executioner in these cases, and I believe this amendment is a vital step forward in balancing our critical national security needs with the basic constitutional rights that we cherish as Americans."" Senator Rubio said, ""This commonsense legislation also improves accountability and oversight of counterterrorism policy by requiring this and future administrations to share important information about these programs with Congress and the intelligence community's inspector general."" The King-Rubio amendment is identical to the Targeted Strike Oversight Reform Act of 2013, which would ensure independent oversight of cases where the head of a U.S. intelligence agency has determined that a U.S. person is engaged in international terrorism against the U.S., and the government is considering the legality or the use of targeted lethal force against that individual. In such cases, the TSOR Act would trigger several notifications and independent reviews, including: -Notification to the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). -Requirement that the DNI establish an independent ""red-team,"" led by an individual who does not report to the intelligence agency making the determination, to conduct an alternative analysis and report its findings within 15 days. -Notification to the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community. -Notification to the congressional intelligence committees regarding the identity of the U.S. person and the results of the red-team alternative analysis. In early February, Senator King wrote to Senators Feinstein and Chambliss, Chair and Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee respectively, requesting that the committee consider legislation to provide an appropriate check on the executive branch's procedure for determining whether using lethal force in a foreign country against a U.S. citizen would be lawful. The letter was a follow-up to Senator King's suggestion to John Brennan during his confirmation hearing that an independent alternative analysis in the case of a targeted-strike against an American citizen should be considered. In his response, Mr. Brennan indicated that he and the administration would be open to a discussion about the Senator's proposal.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/blog/11-8-13-the-week-in-washington-king-talks-enda-intelligence-work-and-recent-floor-remarks,"11-8-13 The Week in Washington: King Talks ENDA, Intelligence Work, and Recent Floor Remarks",2013-11-08,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content Friday, November 8, 2013 11-8-13 The Week in Washington: King Talks ENDA, Intelligence Work, and Recent Floor Remarks",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-defense-secretary-hagel-plans-visit-to-bath-iron-works,"COLLINS, KING ANNOUNCE DEFENSE SECRETARY HAGEL PLANS VISIT TO BATH IRON WORKS",2013-11-08,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"COLLINS, KING ANNOUNCE DEFENSE SECRETARY HAGEL PLANS VISIT TO BATH IRON WORKS Friday, November 8, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C.--U.S. Senators Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, and Angus King, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, announced today that U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel intends to visit Bath Iron Works during his trip to the Halifax Security Conference scheduled for November 22-24.  Both Senators extended invitations to Secretary Hagel to visit defense facilities in Maine, including BIW, during his confirmation process earlier this year. ""We are delighted that Secretary of Defense Hagel has accepted our invitation to visit Maine and Bath Iron Works. He will have an opportunity to meet its highly-skilled, hard-working men and women.  We know the Secretary will be impressed by BIW's talented workforce and the recently launched DDG-1000, both of which are invaluable assets to U.S. national security and the Navy's mission around the world."" # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/this-week-in-washington-king-discusses-enda-intelligence-work-and-the-need-to-overcome-political-gridlock,"This Week in Washington: King Discusses ENDA, Intelligence Work, and the Need to Overcome Political Gridlock",2013-11-08,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"This Week in Washington: King Discusses ENDA, Intelligence Work, and the Need to Overcome Political Gridlock Friday, November 8, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a continuing effort to keep Mainers informed of his work in the nation’s capital, U.S. Senator Angus King took a few minutes to discuss the events of this past week in Washington. In his weekly recap, Senator King addressed: His recent floor speech in which he urged his colleagues to set aside political ideologies so that Congress can get back in the business of performing its most basic functions, which include passing a budget. The full video of Senator King’s weekly recap can be viewed below. A broadcast quality version of the video can also be downloaded here.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-press-national-park-service-on-decision-to-end-relationship-with-local-acadia-concessions-company,"Collins, King Press National Park Service on Decision to End Relationship with Local Acadia Concessions Company",2013-11-07,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Collins, King Press National Park Service on Decision to End Relationship with Local Acadia Concessions Company Thursday, November 7, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a letter today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King pressed the Director of the National Park Service (NPS) to provide answers concerning NPS’s recent decision to select a new, out-of-state concessioner at Acadia National Park. Maine-based The Acadia Corporation (Acadia Corp.) has for the past 80 years provided concessions within the park. “We are writing regarding the announcement by the National Park Service (‘NPS’) that a new concessioner has been selected at Acadia National Park (‘Acadia’ or ‘ANP’) and to bring to your attention what we believe are serious flaws in the process as well as the outpouring of opposition we have heard from hundreds of constituents in Maine in response to the selection,” Senators Collins and King wrote. “Serious questions have been raised about the review process and the criteria used by NPS in making the decision, which led to the selection of an out-of-state concessioner.  As you review the selection decision by the regional office, we request that you fully evaluate the many serious concerns that have been raised about the selection process.” Specifically, Senators Collins and King expressed serious concern with the process undertaken by NPS to arrive at the decision to end the contract with Acadia Corp., and asked that an independent review be conducted to reevaluate the selection process. Additionally, the Senators requested that NPS provide answers to the following questions: Why was Acadia Corp.’s long-standing and exemplary experience as a concessionaire at Acadia not considered? Why was the perspective of a technical advisor from Acadia National Park not considered by the panel during the five-day selection process?  How will NPS re-evaluate the selection process to ensure fairness and transparency? “We are deeply troubled by the process that the NPS employed in considering applications for concession operations at Acadia. Although we fully support a competitive selection process and believe that no concessionaire should be considered immune from replacement, we also believe that long, faithful, and excellent service should be given the full weight that fundamental fairness and common sense warrant and that the law requires,” the Senators wrote. The full text of the letter is below: +++ November 7, 2013 The Honorable John Jarvis Director National Park Service Washington, D.C.  20240 Dear Director Jarvis: We are writing regarding the announcement by the National Park Service (“NPS”) that a new concessioner has been selected at Acadia National Park (“Acadia” or “ANP”) and to bring to your attention what we believe are serious flaws in the process as well as the outpouring of opposition we have heard from hundreds of constituents in Maine in response to the selection.  Serious questions have been raised about the review process and the criteria used by NPS in making the decision, which led to the selection of an out-of-state concessioner.  As you review the selection decision by the regional office, we request that you fully evaluate the many serious concerns that have been raised about the selection process, which we have outlined below.     The current concessioner, The Acadia Corporation, began providing concessions at ANP in 1933.  Acadia Corp. currently operates the Jordan Pond House Restaurant and retail store, and retail services at the top of Cadillac Mountain and at Thunder Hole and has a working relationship with NPS that has been remarkable in all respects.  Over the years, NPS employees and administrators have worked closely with Acadia Corp. to serve the Park’s objectives and to ensure that all visitors are well served.  To our knowledge, this relationship has been a model of harmony and cooperation. Pursuant to the National Parks Omnibus Management Act of 1998, it is our understanding that the NPS sought bids to provide concession services at Acadia in July 2012 and that Acadia Corp. participated in this process.   On September 23, 2013, the NPS announced that it had selected another applicant and that, in all likelihood, Acadia Corp. would lose its contract with ANP.    We have reviewed the concerns raised by our constituents and stakeholders in Maine about the selection, which has led to questions about both the process employed and the decision reached by the NPS. First, we are concerned that Acadia Corp., with its long, unbroken experience with Acadia and the NPS—a relationship stretching back 80 years—would have lost this competition to an out-of-state applicant with, as far as we can determine, no ties to the park, the region, or even the state of Maine.  We are equally concerned that Acadia Corp. lost this selection without any prior suggestion that the company had provided anything less than superlative and valuable services to Acadia and to the NPS. Little, if any, weight seems to have been given to Acadia Corp.’s tenure with ANP, the local employees and administrators of the park, the large numbers of visitors who enjoy the park, and the residents and communities for whom the park is a great resource and valued neighbor.  We believe that these factors should have been given considerable weight.  Replacing a long and valued partner with inestimable knowledge of not only the immediate needs of the park but also its long, rich, and varied history inevitably creates risk of error and inefficiency, not to mention, a lack of sensitivity to innumerable distinctive local practices. We note that giving great weight to these factors is not only logical but is also required by the National Parks Omnibus Management Act.  In explaining Section 403(5) of the Act, the House Report advised that, “…it is the intent of the Committee that the Secretary, when reviewing the principal factors for selecting the best proposal, give substantial consideration and weight to the experience, background and past performance of those submitting the proposal.”  The report went on to explain, “[t]he proven and acceptable experience and expertise the prospective concessionaire exhibits in providing the goods or services to the public should be regarded as highly important to the selection of the best proposal.”  (Emphasis added.)  This principle – that experience counts – seems to have been given no weight in this decision.       In Acadia Corp.’s case, the direction from the House Report seems especially pertinent.  As you know, the NPS rated The Acadia Corp. as “one of the best concessionaires in the National Park Service” in its annual overall rating report for 2011.  We understand that the 1998 Act prohibits a preferential right of renewal for an incumbent concessioner – and we agree that such a right should be prohibited.  However, we are troubled that Acadia Corp.’s exemplary experience does not appear to have been considered.  The circumstances under which the NPS considered the selection for concessions at ANP seems to have severely limited the ability of the reviewers to weigh Acadia Corp.’s extensive and unblemished history of service.  Moreover, we have been informed that NPS policy excludes employees and administrators from the affected park from the selection panels.  At the same time, however, we noted in the press release announcing the selection of a new concessioner that a technical advisor from Acadia was to be available during the selection panel’s meeting to answer any questions the panel may have.  We understand that selection panels regularly and routinely solicit comments from such a technical advisor. Yet, when the selection panel met in Philadelphia to consider the applications for ANP, the technical advisor from Acadia was not present.  Instead, the individual was advised that she did not need to attend and that it would be sufficient if she would simply make herself available to answer questions posed by telephone.  Although the selection panel conducted its review over a five day period, the technical advisor received no calls.  We believe that this was a very serious omission.  First, by failing to require the presence of a technical advisor and then compounding this error by failing to contact this individual, the selection panel deprived itself entirely of the local park perspective essential to the review process and to fulfillment of the intent of the National Parks Omnibus Management Act.   By depriving itself of this important perspective, the selection panel rendered itself incapable of properly applying the point system the NPS devised for the review.  Not only did the selection panel forfeit a technical advisor’s knowledge of the actual experience with and competence of Acadia Corp., but the panel arguably also lacked the ability to judge the soundness of claims from competitors for the practicality and soundness of competitors’ claims for “innovation”—another NPS criterion.   Having failed to question a technical advisor, the selection panel would have had no reliable way of assessing applicant’s claims of what would work and what would not work at Acadia. We ask that you respond to the following questions about the selection process:  Why was Acadia Corp.’s long-standing and exemplary experience as a concessionaire at Acadia not considered?  Why was the perspective of a technical advisor from Acadia National Park not considered by the panel during the five-day selection process?  How will NPS re-evaluate the selection process to ensure fairness and transparency? In addition, we urge you to independently review the process employed in this matter and to re-evaluate the selection process, in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.  Moreover, we request that the regional director visit Acadia to fully understand the complexities and difficulties that are unique to the park and to hear the reaction of local stakeholders to the selection process and ask that you notify us when a date for this visit has been scheduled. We are deeply troubled by the process that the NPS employed in considering applications for concession operations at Acadia.  Although we fully support a competitive selection process and believe that no concessionaire should be considered immune from replacement, we also believe that long, faithful, and excellent service should be given the full weight that fundamental fairness and common sense warrant and that the law requires. Thank you for your prompt attention to this issue.  We look forward to meeting with you at your earliest convenience to further discuss these issues and the findings of your review.   Sincerely,   Susan Collins United States Senator   Angus S. King, Jr. United States Senator   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-announces-funding-to-support-healthcare-access-in-maine,King Announces Funding to Support Healthcare Access in Maine,2013-11-07,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Announces Funding to Support Healthcare Access in Maine Thursday, November 7, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded Maine $993,125 in federal funding under the Affordable Care act to support two new healthcare centers. Katahdin Valley Health Center in Patten was awarded $301,458 and Penobscot Community Health Center in Bangor was awarded $691,997. It is estimated that the grants will help these two facilities serve an additional 4,410 patients in the surrounding communities. “This is welcomed news for Maine and our network of regional healthcare providers,” Senator King said. “Community-based health centers play a key role in delivering high quality healthcare services to areas that have historically been underserved. With these additional funds, we come one step closer to fulfilling the promise of affordable healthcare to those who need it most.” For more information about the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services visit www.hhs.gov.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-praises-passage-of-employment-non-discrimination-act,King Praises Passage of Employment Non-Discrimination Act,2013-11-07,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Praises Passage of Employment Non-Discrimination Act Thursday, November 7, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) today praised the bipartisan passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). The legislation will provide all Americans, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, with basic protections against workplace discrimination. It passed by a vote of 64-32. “The Employment Non-Discrimination Act is the next step in this country’s long movement toward ensuring basic civil rights protections for all of its citizens,” said Senator King. “For far too long, LGBT individuals across the country have experienced harassment or lost their jobs simply because of who they are. ENDA will bring an end to these discriminatory practices by extending basic employment protections to millions of American employees, ensuring that individuals will be judged on the basis of their talent, skills, and experience, rather than sexual orientation or gender identity. Today’s vote marks a step forward for human rights and a step forward for America.” Twenty-nine states currently have no legislation that bans employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and 33 states are without protections for gender identity. Maine is not one of these states. Maine’s civil rights law that prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, credit, and public accommodation based on sexual orientation has been on the books since 2005. ENDA unifies the existing patchwork of state laws by extending equal federal protections to all employees across the country.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-video-conferences-with-mt-ararat-high-school,King Video Conferences with Mt. Ararat High School,2013-11-07,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Video Conferences with Mt. Ararat High School Thursday, November 7, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King yesterday held a video conference with students and teachers at Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham. The video conference was part of Senator King’s “Capitol Class with Angus” outreach series, a program through which he hopes to connect with as many Maine high schools as possible over the course of his term in Washington. During their 40-minute session, Senator King spoke briefly about issues he is currently working on and answered students’ questions about what it’s like working in the U.S. Senate. “It was great to connect with students and teachers at Mt. Ararat,” said Senator King. “The quality of questions they asked as well and their level of engagement was very impressive. We discussed a variety of topics including Senate procedures, my committee work, the Affordable Care Act, and what it is like to be an Independent.” Sewall Janeway, a teacher of Government at Mt. Ararat said, “We were thrilled to have the opportunity to Skype with Senator King.  Our students were extremely interested to learn about his experiences working in Washington.  They listened to him talk about the relationship between the political parties, the bipartisan budget committee, his reflections on the political process,  and what it is like to be an Independent in the Senate. We thank Senator King for taking the time to speak with us today.” You can watch Senator King’s full video conference below.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-urges-colleagues-to-break-through-gridlock,King Urges Colleagues to Break Through Gridlock,2013-11-06,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Urges Colleagues to Break Through Gridlock Wednesday, November 6, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) today urged his colleagues to break through the gridlock and political stalemate that is preventing Congress from performing its most basic functions, including passing a budget. “This is not a speech about subject matter, it's not about global climate change or employment or the minimum wage or healthcare, but it's about whether or not this institution can function in order to confront any of those problems,” said Senator King. “Statistically, I'm told, this is the least productive Congress in American history thus far. No budget in four years, which, a budget is the basic function of any government. I understand there's been one appropriation bill out of 48 in the last several years, and the result has been a complete and total loss of confidence from the public. And that has significance. That is important because in our economy confidence is the mainspring. This is not an academic concern. I am not giving a lecture about civics. The lack of functionality of this institution is damaging the country.” “So what do we do? We have to do something, and that brings me back to where I began – at the budget conference. This budget conference is very important. This isn't one of many conferences that are going on, this is a, I don't want to say a last chance, but it is one of our last chances to show the American people we can govern. It's almost less important what's in the deal than that there be a deal. That the parties show that they can come together, that they can solve a problem…the headline, ""Congress passes a budget which President signs"" would electrify the country. It would be the most positive thing we could possibly do for the economy.” Watch Senator King’s full remarks below.  To download broadcast-quality video, click here, and to download broadcast quality audio, click here. The full text of Senator King’s remarks, as prepared for the Congressional Record, is below: “Madam President, I rise this morning in high hopes, but with deep concern. The high hopes are that a budget conference, at long last, is taking place: that representatives of the Senate and the House are meeting together, met last week, and I know have been meeting informally this week, in order to try to achieve, finally, a budget for this fiscal year. “My concern is that it's been so hard to get here. That it's been so difficult and that we are now in a process where we don't seem to be able to function. I'm worried about the country. I'm worried about whether we are going to be able to address our problems. This is not a speech about subject matter, it's not about global climate change or employment or the minimum wage or healthcare, but it's about whether or not this institution can function in order to confront any of those problems. “When I was a young man there was a famous book, it was kind of a cult favorite, called ""Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me"". And sometimes I feel that that's where we are here. This institution has been so compromised in its ability to function that it's become the norm, and people have low expectations, even people who are here. I remember being on the floor a few months ago when one of the Senators stood up and said, ""This amendment should be subject to the normal 60 vote requirement."" And my head snapped back because there's no such thing as a ""normal"" 60 vote requirement. For 200 years we did not function with a ""normal"" 60 vote requirement, that has become a rather new innovation. And I'm not going to talk about the filibuster or the 60 vote requirement, but the idea that this Senator asserted it was normal indicates a change in attitude about the way this place functions. “Another example is that, to my knowledge, the Conference Committees that are going on now on the budget and on the Farm Bill, I believe are the first two Conference Committees convened in this entire year. I worked here as a staff-member 40 years ago, and remember going to Conference Committees rather frequently: walking through the Capitol with my boss and going to the meetings, and seeing the Senators and the Congressmen sit down and argue and disagree and agree and compromise and reach settlements on legislation, on a fairly regular basis. Now it's cause for celebration. It took a government shutdown, in effect, to produce a simple Conference Committee. “Statistically, I'm told, this is the least productive Congress in American history thus far. No budget in four years, which, a budget is the basic function of any government. I understand there's been one appropriation bill out of 48 in the last several years, and the result has been a complete and total loss of confidence from the public. And that has significance. That is important because in our economy confidence is the mainspring. This is not an academic concern. I am not giving a lecture about civics. The lack of functionality of this institution is damaging the country. “We know for example from studies that just the shutdown cost our economy 24 billion dollars. For no purpose that I could discern. But there's an untold broader cost. The reality is that two thirds of the American economy is driven by consumer spending, and consumer spending is driven by confidence. By the millions of individual decisions that people make in their daily lives based on how they feel about their future, how they feel about their country, how they feel about their personal situation. And part of that is whether they feel that they have representatives in Washington that are representing their interests and in fact are capable of serving the needs of the country. “Ironically, this lack of confidence that's generated by events like the shutdown, harms the economy and therefore makes the deficit worse. The very best way to solve the deficit problem isn't necessarily taxes or cuts, it's growth in the economy. If the economy grows, the deficit shrinks. That was part of what happens in the late 90's, the last time we had a budget surplus, because the economy was roaring along. “It's also about national security. I was provoked to come to the floor today by reading a speech made recently by Robert Gates, one of our most distinguished public servants, former Secretary of Defense, and he talked about the defense posture of the country and the national security situation, and here's what he said toward the end of his speech, ""Let me close with a word about what I now regard as the biggest threat to national security. The biggest threat to U.S. national security: the political dysfunction within the 2 square miles of Washington, D.C., encompassing the White House and Capitol Hill."" “Those are strong words, Madam President. He's not talking about Al Qaeda, he's not talking about a resurgent China, he's not talking about a world threat of terrorism, he's talking about us as the greatest threat to U.S. national security. He went on to say, ""American politics has always been shrill and an ugly business going back to the Founding Fathers, but as a result of several polarizing trends we now have, it's lost the ability to execute even the basic functions of government, much less solve the most difficult and divisive problems facing this country."" “Basic functions of government: passing a budget, operating the government itself, paying our bills. The basic functions of government. Secretary Gates said, ""Looking ahead it's unrealistic to expect partisanship to disappear or even dissipate, but when push comes to shove, when the future of our country is at stake, ideological zeal and short-term political calculation on the part of both Republicans and Democrats must yield to patriotism and the long-term national interest."" “This lack of functionality, this chaos if you will, also affects us internationally. Tom Friedman this weekend had a column, the title I thought was rather provocative. It was, ""Calling America: Hello? Hello? Hello?"" ‘""Few Americans,"" Friedman says, ""are aware of how much America has lost in this recent episode of bringing the American economy to the edge of a cliff. People always looked up to America,” he quotes a citizen of Singapore, “’People have always looked up to America as the best-run country, the most reasonable, the most sensible, and now people are asking, can America manage itself, and what are the implications for the rest of the world?”” “Madam President, our Constitution has always been based on two somewhat competing principles in tension with each other. One is the fundamental purpose of the Constitution, which is to create an effective government. The Constitution was not what ran this country immediately after the American Revolution, we experimented with something called the Articles of Confederation, and it didn't work. And the chaos and the economic problems of that period is what led the Framers to draft the Constitution in that blessed summer of 1787. “But the one principle in the Constitution is right in the preamble: to form a more perfect union, to establish justice, to provide for the common defense, to insure domestic tranquility, and promote the general welfare. That's government. At the same time the Framers were concerned about the ancient question of who will guard the guardians. How do we control the government we've just created, in order to protect ourselves from its own abuse? And they built this elaborate system of checks and balances. They'd never heard of Rube Goldberg in 1787, but if they had that's what they did. They created an elaborate, cumbersome, slow system. They wanted it to be that way in order to curb the excesses of the government that they had created. They wanted it to be slow and cumbersome, and they succeeded beyond their wildest imagination. “Those two principles, government and checks and balances, as I say are in tension in the Constitution. The problem is, Madam President, we seem to have reached a moment in time where the governing part has been taken away and all we have left are checks and balances, and we have a system that is ridiculously easy to monkey wrench if you don't have the basic commitment to governing. And that's the problem that we face today. “So what do we do? We have to do something, and that brings me back to where I began – at the budget conference. This budget conference is very important. This isn't one of many conferences that are going on, this is a, I don't want to say a last chance, but it is one of our last chances to show the American people we can govern. It's almost less important what's in the deal than that there be a deal. That the parties show that they can come together, that they can solve a problem, just the fact that the headline, ""Congress passes a budget which President signs"" would electrify the country. It would be the most positive thing we could possibly do for the economy. “By the same token, a headline that says, ""Congress once more fails to act"" will be one more weight on the future of the country. One more stone in the pile of evidence that we can no longer function, that this system that has served us so well for so long, can no longer serve us as it must. “What do we do to get there? As I say we do something. And I hope and pray and urge and support the Chair of the Budget Committee, the House Chair of the Budget Committee, the members of that Conference, to try to find solutions, that won't make everybody happy by definition, but at least we'll show that we're able to do the most basic function of governing. How do we get there? We listen. We have a company in Maine that has a sign on the wall that I think we ought to put in this room. It says, ""All of us are always smarter than any of us."" The wisdom of the group, there's tremendous experience and wisdom in this institution. If we can bring that to bear, but it doesn't work if people aren't listening. If people say, ""I know the answer. I have all the results. I don't need to listen. I don't have anything to learn."" We'll never get there, Madam President, if that's the idea. “When people say to you, ""I'm not going to compromise,"" what they are really saying is, ""I have all the answers. I'm entirely right."" And I've never known anyone that was entirely right. So we need to listen. Yes, we need to compromise. And we need to remind ourselves of our pretty simple oath that we take. The oath that we take when we come into this place is to the Constitution of the United States. It's not to a political party, it's not to an ideology, it's not to a particular issue no matter how precious to us or our constituents. It's an oath to the Constitution of the United States. I hope and pray that if we can hold to that, and remind ourselves of why we're here and the heavy weight of responsibility that we bear, we can find solutions, we can solve problems, we can begin to rebuild the trust that the American people want to have in their government, if we can only prove ourselves worthy of it. “It is a heavy responsibility, Madam President. It is one I believe that we can meet, and do so with honor and good faith to that oath that we all took. “Thank you, I yield the floor.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-intelligence-committee-approves-king-and-rubio-amendment-to-provide-independent-check-on-targeting-decisions,Senate Intelligence Committee Approves King & Rubio Amendment to Provide Independent Check on Targeting Decisions,2013-11-06,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senate Intelligence Committee Approves King & Rubio Amendment to Provide Independent Check on Targeting Decisions Wednesday, November 6, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence yesterday voted to approve an amendment authored by U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) that would require an independent alternative analysis, commonly referred to as a “red-team analysis,” be conducted if the government is considering the legality or the use of targeted lethal force against a known U.S. person located outside the U.S. who is involved in international terrorism. The provision, which Senators King and Rubio originally introduced in May as S. 1035, the Targeted Strike Oversight Reform Act of 2013, was adopted as an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2014 Intelligence Authorization Act.  The Committee approved the Authorization Act by a vote of 13-2 on Tuesday. “Our amendment aims to provide an additional layer of accountability within the decision-making process when the government concludes that a U.S. person is engaged in international terrorism and that lethal force against them may be necessary to prevent an attack,” Senator King said. “In such a distinctive case, this amendment would ensure that an independent group – or ‘red team’ – reviews the facts and that the details of that review are shared with the Congressional Intelligence Committees. As I have said repeatedly, the executive branch should not serve as the judge, the jury and the executioner in these cases, and I believe this amendment is a vital step forward in balancing our critical national security needs with the basic constitutional rights that we cherish as Americans.”  “I am pleased that the committee approved this measure to require an additional, independent review before the authorization of any lethal strikes against U.S. Citizens engaged in international terrorism overseas,” Senator Rubio said. “This commonsense legislation also improves accountability and oversight of counterterrorism policy by requiring this and future administrations to share important information about these programs with Congress and the intelligence community’s inspector general. By approving this measure, we're improving the balance between keeping our country safe from terrorists who plot against our people, and the accountability and oversight that are touchstones of our constitutional democracy.” The King-Rubio amendment is identical to S. 1035, the Targeted Strike Oversight Reform Act of 2013, which would ensure independent oversight of cases where the head of a U.S. intelligence agency has determined that a U.S. person is engaged in international terrorism against the U.S., and the government is considering the legality or the use of targeted lethal force against that individual.  In such cases, the TSOR Act would trigger several notifications and independent reviews, including: Notification to the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Requirement that the DNI establish an independent “red-team,” led by an individual who does not report to the intelligence agency making the determination, to conduct an alternative analysis and report its findings within 15 days Notification to the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community Notification to the congressional intelligence committees regarding the identity of the U.S. person and the results of the red-team alternative analysis In early February, Senator King wrote to Senators Feinstein and Chambliss, Chair and Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee respectively, requesting that the Committee consider legislation to provide an appropriate check on the executive branch’s procedure for determining whether using lethal force in a foreign country against a U.S. citizen would be lawful. The letter was a follow-up to Senator King’s suggestion to John Brennan during his confirmation hearing that an independent alternative analysis in the case of a targeted-strike against an American citizen should be considered. In his response, Mr. Brennan indicated that he and the Administration would be open to a discussion about the Senator’s proposal. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/blog/budget-conference-info-sheet,Budget Conference Info Sheet,2013-11-04,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Monday, November 4, 2013 Budget Conference Info Sheet What is the Budget Conference Committee? What is it supposed to do? The Budget Conference Committee is a group of 29 members of Congress tasked with ironing out the differences between the House Budget resolution, which the House passed on March 21, 2013, and the Senate Budget resolution, which the Senate passed on March 23, 2013.  22 members are from the Senate and 7 are from the House of Representatives.  Under the terms of the bipartisan deal that re-opened government after the recent shutdown, the Budget Conference Committee is supposed to find agreement on one budget by December 13, 2013.  This budget would provide overall funding levels for the government. FY2014 Budget Conference Committee Members House Republicans:  Rep. Paul Ryan (WI) Rep. Tom Cole (OK) Rep. Tom Price (GA) Rep. Diane Black (TN) House Democrats: Rep. Chris Van Hollen (MD) Rep. James Clyburn (SC) Rep. Nita Lowey (NY) Senate Republicans: Sen. Jeff Sessions (AL) Sen. Charles Grassley (IA) Sen. Mike Enzi (WY) Sen. Mike Crapo (ID) Sen. Lindsey Graham (SC) Sen. Rob Portman (OH) Sen. Pat Toomey (PA) Sen. Ron Johnson (WI) Sen. Kelly Ayotte (NH) Sen. Roger Wicker (MS) From Senate Democratic Caucus:  Sen. Patty Murray (WA) Sen. Ron Wyden (OR) Sen. Bill Nelson (FL) Sen. Debbie Stabenow (MI) Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT) Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) Sen. Mark Warner (VA) Sen. Jeff Merkley (OR) Sen. Chris Coons (DL) Sen. Tammy Baldwin (WI) Sen. Tim Kaine (VA) Sen. Angus King (ME) Does the budget resolution that you are currently working on establish spending levels for all federal programs? This is a good question and a common misunderstanding. The Fiscal Year 2014 Senate Budget Resolution, which I helped craft as a member of the Senate Budget Committee, passed early on March 23rd, 2013 by a vote of 50 - 49. This budget resolution sets overall spending and revenue levels for the entire federal government but it does not set spending levels for particular federal agencies or programs.  Those program-by-program decisions are made by the Appropriations Committees of each house.   What are the biggest sticking points in budget conference committee negotiations? New Revenues: since the start of Fiscal Year 2011 (October 1, 2010), Congress has been on track to achieve approximately $2.5 trillion in deficit reduction over the next ten years.  About two-thirds of this reduction has come from spending cuts.  As conference members address the need to reduce our federal deficits and control the growth of the federal debt, conferees are trying to determine whether the deal should include some new revenues to help pay for some of this deficit reduction. In my opinion, the proposals that stand the best chance of being enacted do not include any tax rate increases, but involve limiting deductions, exemptions, and tax credits. Sequestration: many conference members have expressed a desire to partially replace the automatic spending reductions, known as sequestration, with different savings.  The sequester’s savings are largely found in the discretionary spending portion of the federal budget.  Conferees could decide to replace some of those automatic cuts with new revenues and / or savings from reforms to the mandatory spending portion of the federal budget.  For more information on discretionary and mandatory spending, read the Committee for a Responsible Budget’s Everything You Need to Know About a Budget Conference. Will the Budget Conference Committee fix the sequester? Sequestration was supposed to be so undesirable to lawmakers that it would never be enacted.  Conferees are discussing a deal that could replace at least some of the sequester’s annual cuts to discretionary programs. What happens if the Budget Conference Committee doesn’t produce a budget by December 13th? I’m hopeful that both sides see the necessity in coming to an agreement on a bipartisan budget agreement by December 13th.  If we can’t reach an agreement in the conference committee by December 13th, Congress would have approximately one month before funding expires for the federal government on January 15th, 2014 and be left facing another possible government shutdown. Other helpful resources",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/more-than-33-million-in-liheap-funding-released-for-maine,More Than $33 Million in LIHEAP Funding Released for Maine,2013-11-04,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"More Than $33 Million in LIHEAP Funding Released for Maine Funding will help low-income, elderly Mainers heat their homes this winter Monday, November 4, 2013 Washington, D.C. –U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the Department of Health and Human Services has released an initial $33.7 million in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds. Last week, in an effort to help millions of Americans who are struggling with their energy bills as winter approaches, Senators Collins and King were among a bipartisan group of 40 Senators who wrote to the Administration requesting the immediate release of these federal heating aid funds. “The LIHEAP programs assists some 8 million households nationwide; nearly 50,000 in Maine.  As energy costs have increased, LIHEAP remains an important lifeline that helps prevent people from having to choose between heating their home, paying their bills, or going without food or medicine.  I am pleased that DHHS recognized our concern and is releasing this critical funding today,” said Senator Collins who, along with Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), worked to include language in the continuing resolution to fund LIHEAP at the higher Fiscal Year 2012 enacted level of $3.47 billion.  Unfortunately, this funding remains subject to automatic, across the board sequestration cuts, which both Senators oppose and support addressing. “Maine’s bitterly cold winters present serious challenges for our state’s most vulnerable families, who often end up having to confront the choice of whether to pay the ever-increasing heating bill or provide for everyday necessities,” Senator King said. “I am pleased that DHHS heeded our call to release these critical funds now, which will help tens of thousands of Mainers to stay warm while still being able to make ends meet.” LIHEAP is a federal grant program that provides states with annual funding to operate home energy assistance programs for low-income households.  In addition to helping to pay energy bills for low-income families and the elderly, LIHEAP helps to fund energy crisis intervention programs, low-cost residential weatherization and other energy-related home repairs. Recently, the U.S. Energy Information Administration released its Winter Fuels Outlook report, which projects that household expenditures for natural gas, propane, and electric heating will be higher this winter.  Home heating oil prices are expected to be modestly lower.  The report also noted that the Northeast is expected to be 3% colder than the previous winter. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/news/video-and-audio/view/11-1-13-this-week-in-washington-king-discusses-budget-conference-committee,11-1-13 This Week in Washington: King Discusses Budget Conference Committee,2013-11-01,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"In his weekly recap, Senator King shared his impressions from the first public meeting of the Budget Conference Committee. He hopes that the opening statements provided by committee members during this initial gathering laid the foundation for a deal to partially replace the sequester and avoid another unnecessary government shutdown.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/blog/11-1-13-this-week-in-washington-king-discusses-budget-conference-committee-,11-1-13 This Week in Washington: King Discusses Budget Conference Committee,2013-11-01,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content Friday, November 1, 2013 11-1-13 This Week in Washington: King Discusses Budget Conference Committee",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/blog/managing-snap-cuts-today-resisting-larger-cuts-tomorrow,"Managing SNAP Cuts Today, Resisting Larger Cuts Tomorrow",2013-11-01,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Friday, November 1, 2013 Managing SNAP Cuts Today, Resisting Larger Cuts Tomorrow by Senator Angus King As members of the Farm Bill conference committee work to pass a five-year Farm Bill, one of the most contentious issues will surely be funding for SNAP and other vital nutrition programs. It’s unfortunate that in a country as wealthy as ours, we can’t seem to agree on the importance of helping our most vulnerable individuals. Though this situation will undoubtedly require compromise, the level of SNAP cuts proposed by the House of Representatives – almost $40 billion over the next decade – is simply too high.   We have to remember that regardless of what happens in conference, SNAP benefits are already being cut. Starting today, the program will automatically lose $5 billion over the next year. These across-the-board cuts, which will strip $26 million in SNAP benefits for Mainers according to the Center for Budget Policy Priorities, are going to put further strain on people that are already struggling to feed themselves and their families. Just last week, I was able to see first-hand how the Cooking Matters program is making a difference when I joined one of their grocery store tours at the Hannaford in Portland. Over the course of the visit, I learned how the program helps people to find cheaper, healthier food options and make their now-reduced benefits go further. Together with Good Shepherd Food Bank, the University of New England and Healthy Maine Partnerships, Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters program empowers Maine families with the skills they need to stretch their food budgets and cook healthier meals for their families. Cooking Matters in Maine is expected to reach over 1,500 participants this year. There is always a need to help people maximize their SNAP benefits, but this work is particularly relevant today given the new wave of cuts. Despite their best efforts, programs like Cooking Matters can only do so much. While the cuts that took effect today will make their job harder, I believe that the $40 billion cuts would turn a difficult job into an impossible one. Non-profits and church groups will not be able to fill the void left by such drastic changes to SNAP. We can and should work to increase SNAP program efficiency, but there is a significant difference between reforms and large-scale cuts disguised as reforms. I believe the House proposal falls in the latter category, and I have urged the Farm Bill conference committee to resist it.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/this-week-in-washington-king-discusses-budget-conference-committee,This Week in Washington: King Discusses Budget Conference Committee,2013-11-01,2013,2013-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"This Week in Washington: King Discusses Budget Conference Committee Friday, November 1, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – In an ongoing effort to keep folks at home up to date with his work in Washington, U.S. Senator Angus King took a few minutes to discuss the events of this past week in the nation’s capital. In his weekly recap, Senator King shared his impressions from the first public meeting of the Budget Conference Committee. He hopes that the opening statements provided by committee members during this initial gathering laid the foundation for a deal to partially replace the sequester and avoid another unnecessary government shutdown.  The full video of Senator King’s weekly recap can be viewed below. A broadcast quality version of the video can also be downloaded here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-video-conferences-with-hall-dale-middle-and-high-school,King Video Conferences with Hall-Dale Middle & High School,2013-10-31,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Video Conferences with Hall-Dale Middle & High School Thursday, October 31, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King yesterday held a video conference with students from Hall-Dale Middle & High School as part of his ongoing “Capitol Class with Angus” series. Over the course of his term in Congress, Senator King hopes to connect with as many Maine high schools as possible in order to share his experiences representing Maine in the U.S. Senate and answer their questions about today’s most pressing issues. “I was delighted to have the opportunity to connect with students and teachers at Hall-Dale this afternoon,” said Senator King. “They asked thoughtful and impressive questions that covered a variety of topics, including budget negotiations, healthcare, the Maine laptop program, and the future of energy in America. I applaud them for their interest in government and thank them for allowing me to speak with them.” Amelia Clukey, a 7th grade teacher at Hall-Dale and the one who led the student call, stated, “I appreciate an elected leader like Senator King taking time out of his busy schedule to connect with our middle and high school students back here in Maine. Students today, more than ever, need to understand our democracy as well as their role as citizens and who better to learn that from than one of our own elected leaders. This was an incredible learning opportunity our students were provided with today!” Watch Senator King’s conference below. Hall-Dale Middle School and Hall-Dale High School, located in Farmington, is part of the Kennebec Intra-District Schools (KIDS) Regional School Unit (RSU) 2 which includes the towns of Dresden, Farmingdale, Hallowell, Monmouth, and Richmond. “Capitol Class with Angus” is parts of Senator King’s larger initiative to expand constituent outreach through the use of 21st century technologies. He also employs video conferencing to connect with businesses and organizations based in Maine and to record weekly videos highlighting events in Washington.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-intelligence-committee-approves-king-provision-to-designate-independent-experts-to-advise-the-foreign-intelligence-surveillance-court,Senate Intelligence Committee Approves King Provision to Designate Independent Experts to Advise the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court,2013-10-31,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senate Intelligence Committee Approves King Provision to Designate Independent Experts to Advise the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court Thursday, October 31, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence today passed by a vote of 11-4 the FISA Improvements Act, which includes a bipartisan provision authored by U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) and cosponsored by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) that would require the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to designate outside “Amicus Curiae” or “Friends of the Court” to provide independent perspectives and assist the court in reviewing matters that present a novel or significant interpretation of the law. Specifically, the provision authorizes the Court to consult with independent outside experts such as a special counsel or experts on privacy and civil liberties, intelligence collection, telecommunications, and any other area that may lend legal or technical expertise to the Court. The goal of the provision is to ensure the Court has access to the expertise necessary to oversee sensitive intelligence programs and safeguard the Fourth Amendment protections guaranteed by the Constitution. “There is no question that the United States must take steps to combat terrorism and other threats to our security, especially in a day and age when intelligence gathering is often our primary weapon to prevent it,” Senator King said. “At the same time, the Constitution guarantees the protection of privacy, and consequently the struggle in recent years has become how to properly balance the two. By creating a process whereby the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court can turn to independent outsiders with specific expertise in areas such as privacy or telecommunications, we will take a vital step forward in ensuring the legal and technical implications of these programs are scrutinized appropriately.”  “The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court is an important judicial check on the collection and use of foreign intelligence information that is unique among countries,” said Senator Collins.  “This amicus curiae will ensure that when the Court needs a second opinion on the material presented by the Executive Branch, that it has the explicit authority to secure one.  This provision further strengthens the independent judicial oversight regarding requests from the Executive Branch for intelligence activities that have implications for privacy and civil liberties.” “I was proud to work with my colleagues Senators King, Collins and Mikulski to strengthen civil liberty and privacy protections and provide an extra layer of oversight to the FISC by establishing an amicus curiae to offer an independent and outside opinion on inquiries from the Executive,” Senator Warner said. “We need to be able to show the American people that the NSA and others in the intelligence community can protect our national security but also provide appropriate protections for our privacy and civil liberties.” “As a United States Senator, I have two responsibilities: to protect the American people and to protect the privacy and civil liberties of American citizens as enshrined in the Constitution,” Senator Mikulski said.  “Our provision on the amicus curiae (or friend of the court) brings a new kind of independent and informed perspective to the FISA Court.  It is also an important step towards restoring greater public trust in the robustness of the FISA Court process.”  Senator King’s provision passed as part of the FISA Improvements Act. The bipartisan legislation increases privacy protections and public transparency of the National Security Agency call-records program in several ways, while preserving the operational effectiveness and flexibility of this vital national security program. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-intelligence-committee-passes-collins-king-amendments-to-increase-oversight-and-accountability-within-intelligence-community,"Senate Intelligence Committee Passes Collins, King Amendments to Increase Oversight & Accountability within Intelligence Community",2013-10-31,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senate Intelligence Committee Passes Collins, King Amendments to Increase Oversight & Accountability within Intelligence Community Maine Senators score significant victory for improved oversight of Intelligence activities as part of reform bill Thursday, October 31, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence today passed several amendments authored by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) that will increase oversight and accountability within our nation’s Intelligence community. Senators Collins and King are the only two Senators on the Intelligence Committee whose amendments were adopted during the Committee’s markup of legislation reforming the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The first amendment, authored by Senator Collins and cosponsored by Senator King, would enhance the authority of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) to conduct independent oversight of the National Security Agency’s counterterrorism collection activities. “Strengthening the independent oversight provided by the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board is crucial to ensuring that our nation’s counterterrorism efforts fully take into account the privacy rights of Americans, which we value so greatly,” said Senator Collins. “With the adoption of our amendment, the Board will play an increasingly important role in evaluating the implications for privacy and civil liberties of our programs to protect our nation from all acts of terrorism.” “The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board was created by Congress nearly a decade ago and this amendment strengthens its role in ensuring that our government thoroughly considers the personal privacy and civil liberties of American citizens as we continue to fight global terrorism,” Senator King said. “This provision will strengthen the PCLOB’s authority to independently assess intelligence programs through the prism of Constitutionally-guaranteed rights.” Another amendment, authored by Senator King and cosponsored by Senator Collins, would require the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to designate outside “Amicus Curiae” or “Friends of the Court” to provide independent perspectives and assist the court in reviewing matters that present a novel or significant interpretation of the law. Specifically, the provision authorizes the Court to consult with independent outside experts such as a special counsel or experts on privacy and civil liberties, intelligence collection, telecommunications, and any other area that may lend legal or technical expertise to the Court. The goal of the provision is to ensure the Court has access to the expertise necessary to oversee sensitive intelligence programs and safeguard the Fourth Amendment protections guaranteed by the Constitution. “There is no question that the United States must take steps to combat terrorism and other threats to our security, especially in a day and age when intelligence gathering is often our primary weapon to prevent it,” Senator King said. “At the same time, the Constitution guarantees the protection of privacy, and consequently the struggle in recent years has become how to properly balance the two. By creating a process whereby the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court can turn to independent outsiders with specific expertise in areas such as privacy or telecommunications, we will take a vital step forward in ensuring the legal and technical implications of these programs are scrutinized appropriately.”  “The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court is an important judicial check on the collection and use of foreign intelligence information that is unique among countries,” said Senator Collins. “This amicus curiae will ensure that when the Court needs a second opinion on the material presented by the Executive Branch, that it has the explicit authority to secure one.  This provision further strengthens the independent judicial oversight regarding requests from the Executive Branch for intelligence activities that have implications for privacy and civil liberties.” BACKGROUND ON COLLINS AMENDMENT: The amendment will ensure the Board receives a copy of any application to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and any resulting court order that contains a significant or novel interpretation of the law and is related to counterterrorism.  Senator Collins first established the PCLOB, along with former Senator Joe Lieberman, in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004.  The amendment also provides explicit authority for the Board to assess the implications for privacy and civil liberties of any FISA Court applications the Board receives.  Finally, the amendment also requires the Board to conduct an annual review of NSA collection programs conducted under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.  The Board is an independent, bipartisan agency within the executive branch comprised of part-time members and a full-time chairman.  The Board is vested with the responsibility to authority to provide advice to the President and executive branch agencies and departments on policy development and implementation, as well as to oversee certain actions, regulations, policies, and procedures of the executive branch.  For more information about the Board, please visit www.pclob.gov ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/article/king-cheers-red-sox-jeers-gridlock-during-video-chat,"King cheers Red Sox, jeers gridlock during video chat",2013-10-30,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King cheers Red Sox, jeers gridlock during video chat Senator talks economy, healthcare during Skype session with Hall-Dale students. By:  Susan McMillan Wednesday, October 30, 2013 With Game 6 of the World Series looming, U.S. Sen. Angus King apparently had baseball on his mind as he spoke with Hall-Dale Middle School students today. Asked by eighth grader Cole Lockhart what he’s doing for Maine, King said the most important thing he can do is help Maine businesses create jobs. “Trying to make Maine a better place is the whole reason I’m doing this,” King said, speaking to students in a video conference. “You don’t hit too many home runs in this business, but hopefully you hit singles and the occasional double, and in the long run it’ll help build the Maine economy.” Later, just before King signed off, another student asked who he’d root for in tonight’s World Series game. King said he’d root for the Red Sox, of course, and praised the Sox for playing together as a team and succeeding in spite of having few major stars on the roster. “Everybody’s contributing in different ways, and I think it’s a good example for us of the importance of teamwork and working together to achieve a result,” King said. That contrasted with some of King’s descriptions of Congress, particularly regarding the recent shutdown of the federal government. King, an independent, said Democrats and Republicans need to talk to each other, work together and be willing to compromise. King spent more than 30 minutes talking with the Hall-Dale students. He has video conferenced with students at several high schools since joining the Senate this year. Social studies teacher Amelia Clukey, who arranged the Skype session, said students brainstormed questions in her class, coming up with about 45 of them, then they selected 25 that would be most relevant based on current events. Students asked about the debate over the federal budget, the federal debt, wind power and health care reform. Asked why the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare, is so controversial, King said one reason is that President Obama’s name is attached to the law, and a lot of people just don’t like Obama. King said there’s “no excuse” for the failure of the website that’s supposed to allow people to sign up for health insurance through the law, but the ideas behind it are good. King told the students about receiving an early diagnosis and effective treatment for a deadly cancer, melanoma, in his late 20s, thanks to having health insurance because of his job. “They caught it, I had an operation, and here I am,” King said. “So I know personally the importance of having health insurance. It’s hard to persuade me that it’s OK to have 50 million Americans who don’t have health insurance.” Eighth grader Cam Corbin reached back to King’s tenure as governor, asking his thoughts on the Maine Learning Technology Initiative, which King’s administration created to provide a laptop for every student in seventh or eighth grade. The Skype session was conducted using the Internet connection and webcam on Clukey’s laptop, provided through the initiative, and shown on a screen at the front of the Hall-Dale auditorium. King said the initiative has been a success, and he’s glad it got through the Legislature in spite of considerable opposition. King said people who emailed his office about the initiative opposed it 10-to-1, and a legislator told him it was as controversial as “gay marriage, clear-cutting and abortion, all rolled into one.” After the event, Corbin said he asked the question because the program has had a major impact on him and his classmates. “I’m glad he stuck with his decision because it’s great for our learning today,” he said.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/oped/looking-ahead-to-the-budget-conference,Looking Ahead to the Budget Conference,2013-10-30,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Looking Ahead to the Budget Conference By:  Senator Angus S. King, Jr. Wednesday, October 30, 2013 Like most Americans, I was deeply frustrated by the government shutdown earlier this month. I found it shameful that we spent so much time debating whether or not to perform the most basic functions of our jobs: running the government and paying our bills. That’s why I teamed up with a group of my colleagues - seven Republicans, six Democrats, and me, the Independent – to hammer out a bipartisan agreement that would end the shutdown and avert a catastrophic default on our national credit. Our initial discussions enabled the negotiation process to gain greater momentum and resulted in a compromise proposal, parts of which were adopted by the plan that ultimately reopened the government. The personal initiative, leadership, and willingness to put the good of the country ahead of party politics is what the people expect of us – to work on their behalf. The bipartisan agreement passed by Congress on October 17th also contained an important provision mandating the regular budget process, which has remained stagnated for the past seven months, move forward. Normally, each year both the House and Senate are required to pass individual budgets. Then, to bridge any disparities between the two proposals, members from both chambers are appointed to a special joint conference committee to work out those differences, pass a revised budget, and send it to the president for his signature. Unfortunately, this process hasn’t occurred for more than five years as the Senate has been unable pass its version of a budget in four years. This spring I’m proud to say we reversed that trend, and as a member of the Budget Committee, I was even able to help develop the Senate’s budget firsthand. The proposal we produced passed the Senate in late March, yet a few Republican objections stalled the process and prevented us from proceeding to a conference committee. This political stalemate has hurt our economy and jeopardized the fiscal stability of our country. Thankfully, the legislation enacted to reopen the federal government allows us to move past those objections and the regular budget process can continue. Moving forward, I will remain involved in the budget negotiations as I have the privilege of being among the 29 members of the Senate and House selected to serve on the conference committee. I have no illusions that reconciling the differences between the two budgets will be challenging, but it’s also an invaluable opportunity for us to do some real good for the country and demonstrate to the American people that we have the ability to govern – I look forward to participating and contributing to that effort. I hope that history will come to judge this moment as the beginning of a new era. An era defined by cooperation, civility, and problem-solving. We all benefit from the different ideas, experiences, and values the can be found in American society and each member of Congress brings a bit of that to this institution. However, finding compromise on today’s most pressing issues should not be regarded as the capitulation of one’s principles. Rather it is our ability to find common ground through respectful and meaningful dialogue that strengthens the very core of what makes this country great.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-outlines-priorities-for-maine-as-farm-bill-heads-to-conference,King Outlines Priorities for Maine as Farm Bill Heads to Conference,2013-10-30,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Outlines Priorities for Maine as Farm Bill Heads to Conference Wednesday, October 30, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the Senate and House prepare to reconcile the differences between their two versions of the Farm Bill, U.S. Senator Angus King yesterday sent a letter to Senators Debbie Stabenow and Thad Cochran, Chairwoman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry, respectively, outlining several farming and food issues of particular importance to Maine, including funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), protections for dairy farmers, and the implementation of the Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA). “Farming is a pillar of our state economy and the final provisions of this year’s Farm Bill will have a substantial impact on thousands of Mainers for years to come,” Senator King said. “I recognize that reconciling the differences between the two bills will be challenging and that compromises will be necessary, but I hope that the conference committee will consider my recommendations for the benefit of Maine.” The complete letter can be viewed by clicking here, and bullet-points of Senator King’s recommendations are below: Resist the level of SNAP cuts proposed in the House bill Make changes to the Food Safety Modernization Act to ensure that the legislation doesn’t unduly harm small and midsized farmers Maintain strong support for programs such as the Farmers Market Promotion Program and the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Protect dairy farmers as we move towards a new dairy program Preserve strong conservation programs Continue to fund beginning farmers and ranchers Sustain funding for research and extension, including pest management Add at least two regional pilot projects for Memoranda of Understandings (MOUs) between states to allow state inspected meat sales Allow white potatoes to be included in WIC Allow veterinarians to transport medical drugs to farms so that they can adequately care for livestock and other animals. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-king-and-budget-conference-committee-begin-work,Sen. King & Budget Conference Committee Begin Work,2013-10-30,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sen. King & Budget Conference Committee Begin Work Wednesday, October 30, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The joint Senate and House Budget Conference Committee, of which U.S Senator Angus King (I-ME) is a member, held its first public meeting today to offer opening statements and chart a path towards a bipartisan budget agreement. Following the meeting, Senator King released the following statement: “This morning’s meeting laid the foundation for a deal that could partially replace the sequester and avoid another painful and unnecessary government shutdown in January of 2014. While the scope of the potential deal may be limited, the importance of doing something is critical to rebuilding confidence within this institution.  A deal that finds the right balance between new revenues from eliminating wasteful tax expenditures and savings from entitlements reforms could maintain the current downward trajectory of our deficits and would allow the nation to breathe a collective sigh of relief. The Committee has an important opportunity to work together to improve our nation’s fiscal health, and I am hopeful that we will find common ground so that we can bridge the partisan divide to make real and substantial progress for the country.”  You can watch Senator King's remarks below. To download broadcast-quality video, click here, and to download broadcast quality audio, click here. A transcript of Senator King’s opening statement has been included below. “‘Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history. We of this Congress and the administration will be remembered in spite of ourselves.’ Those are the words of Abraham Lincoln in a message to Congress on December 1st, 1862, almost exactly 150 years ago. “I want to emphasize, and think the comments this morning have been wonderful, and put them together and you've got the essence of a solution, but I want to emphasize that this is a historic opportunity and responsibility. The other day after a hearing I ran into an old history professor of mine I hadn't seen in 45 years – an American history professor – and I said, ‘Professor Smith, have we ever had a moment in American history with this level of un-functionality and chaos in our governmental system?’ “He said, ‘Of course,’ and I was surprised he said that so quickly. I said, ‘When was that?’ “He said, ‘The Articles of Confederation.’ The period before the Constitution, which provoked the Framers to write the Constitution, was a period when government didn't work – and we're in a similar period. And that's why what we're doing here today is such an important and very heavy responsibility – the importance of doing something. “The best thing we can do for the economy is show the American people that we can do it, that we can work together, that we can find a solution. Two thirds of the American economy is driven by consumer spending, and consumer spending is driven by confidence, and confidence is instilled by the government being at least modestly functional, which is hasn't been recently. It doesn't have to be a comprehensive solution, as Chairman Ryan and Chairman Murray both said – but it does need to be real, it does need to be significant, it at least needs to take us through September 30th, 2014. “My second point is that the fiscal situation is serious. While presiding the other day – I know that we're not supposed to do our own work, we learned that yesterday from the Parliamentarian – but I couldn't help doodling a bit about what would happen is interest rates went from 2 percent to 4 percent, which isn't at all unexpected in terms of our public debt. If that's the case at a 17 trillion dollar debt, 4 percent would be 680 billion dollars a year, which exceeds both the Defense budget and the Intelligence budget combined. That is a dead hand that buys us nothing: no schools, no Head Start slots, no jet airplanes, no defense, no nothing. “Interest on the debt exceeding the Defense and Intelligence budget combined. It crowds out everyone's priorities. Conservatives and liberals alike, it crowds out everyone's priorities. And in addition, of course, it's an immoral burden on our children. But I do want to relay one additional thought on that front. “When I was Governor one of the rituals was to go to New York every year and genuflect to the rating agencies, kiss their ring, and hope for a good bond rating for your state. I was doing that one year and talking about how prudent we were in Maine and how we didn't spend much, we had low per capita debt, and our debt was paid off in ten years and we were really careful with our expenditures. And one of the analysts stopped me and said, ‘Governor, I want to remind you that not fixing your infrastructure is debt. It's debt just the same as debt that's on the books. And if you're stinting on maintaining your infrastructure, you are building up a debt for your children and grandchildren just as if you are borrowing the money.’ I think that's an important item to remember. “The other thing is that we've seen all these charts today that have shown exploding federal expenditures: it's all health care expenditures. That's what's driving the debt. It's not Head Start. It's not Pell grants. It's not the Department of Defense. It's not the CIA. It's health care expenditures in Medicare, Medicaid, Federal pensions, veterans' health benefits – that's what's driving the deficit. That's what we really need to be talking about. And we're making a grave mistake if we cut those kinds of programs, whether it's on the defense side or the domestic side, because health care, like the interest on the debt, is going to crowd everything else out. “So what do we have to do? We have to deal with this debt problem, which I've acknowledged is very important, but we have to do it in a way that doesn't compromise the economy. We have to do it in a way that is gradual and thoughtful and credible – but not all at once. We have a saying in Maine that the path out of the woods is usually as long as the path in. It's taken us about 15 or 20 years to get into this hole. We're not going to get out of it in the next two or three years, and so we have to have a credible plan that doesn't compromise the economy and the economic growth that everybody has talked about as the very best way to solve this problem. It will build confidence; it will lower deficits, and make the necessary investments. “I'm not going to talk about tax expenditures, except to say that they are expenditures. Both sides agree. In both budgets we mine the tax expenditures. The only question is: what do we do with the revenues produced? In the House budget they're used to lower tax rates. In the Senate budget they're used to lower deficits. I think there's a compromise to be found there. The Rubicon of getting new money from tax expenditures has been crossed by all parties. Let's just talk about how those revenues are allocated. “Finally I'll go back to President Lincoln. December 1st, 1862, he talked about how to deal with change; how to deal with difficult problems, and how we have to clear our minds and think creatively. It's the best phrase I've ever encountered about how to deal with change, and here's what he said: ‘The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and therefore we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.’” The conference committee, which consists of 29 total members between the House and Senate, is a result of an October 16th agreement to reopen the government and lift the debt ceiling. The committee is tasked with reconciling the differences between the two budgets passed by the Senate and the House earlier this year. Senator King, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, helped to craft the Senate’s budget and has been a vocal proponent of moving to conference.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-collins-king-announce-opening-of-firefighters-grant-application-period-,"Senators Collins, King Announce Opening of Firefighters Grant Application Period",2013-10-30,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senators Collins, King Announce Opening of Firefighters Grant Application Period Wednesday, October 30, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that Maine's first responders can apply for Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program funds from Monday, November 4, 2013 at 8:00 AM until Friday, December 6, 2013 at 5:00 PM. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency administers the grants. These grants help fire departments and nonaffiliated EMS organizations meet their firefighting and emergency response needs. The AFG Program helps equip these organizations with the resources necessary to more effectively protect the health and safety of the public and their emergency response personnel with respect to fire and other hazards. “The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program provides a vital source of funding for our brave career and volunteer firefighters,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “These grants help Maine's first responders preserve lives and protect property by enabling departments to obtain vehicles, purchase life-saving equipment, and access training to develop the skills necessary to better serve their communities.” Grant guidance for this program is available at http://www.fema.gov/firegrants/. FEMA's AFG help desk can be reached at (866) 274-0960, or by email at firegrants@dhs.gov. For additional information please contact Senator Susan Collins’ Augusta Constituent Service Center at (207) 622-8414 or Senator Angus King’s Augusta office at (207) 622-8292. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-pens-foreword-to-chamberlain-memoir,King Pens Foreword to Chamberlain Memoir,2013-10-23,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Pens Foreword to Chamberlain Memoir Wednesday, October 23, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King recently penned a foreword to “Blessed Boyhood!” The ‘Early Memoir’ of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, a book published by Bowdoin College and annotated by historians Thomas A. Desjardin and David K. Thomson to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War. As a long-time admirer of Chamberlain, Senator King regards the General as “the greatest citizen that Maine has ever produced.” In his foreword, Senator King highlights the origins of Chamberlain’s character, intellect, and command of prose which are often regarded as some of Chamberlain’s most impressive qualities. In particular, Senator King observes the significance of General Chamberlain’s character, a trait that is difficult to define but was critically important to his leadership style later in life. “Adherence to principle, courage, honesty, and integrity describe [character] but don’t define it. What does define it is the life of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, and this memoir provides a powerful insight into how that character came to be.” As a Distinguished Lecturer at Bowdoin College, Senator King taught a class on “Leaders and Leadership” that drew heavily from the lessons of Chamberlain’s personal life experiences. Those lessons have continued to guide and inspire him in his work as one of Maine’s two U.S. Senators. This June Senator King paid tribute to Chamberlain as he commemorated the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg from the floor of the United States Senate. A video of his remarks can be found here. General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain served as commander of the 20th Maine infantry during the Battle of Gettysburg and received the Medal of Honor for his heroism at Little Round Top. After his distinguished military career, he went on to serve as Maine’s 32nd governor and later as president of Bowdoin College from 1871-1883.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-welcomes-news-of-increased-small-business-lending-in-maine,King Welcomes News of Increased Small Business Lending in Maine,2013-10-23,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Welcomes News of Increased Small Business Lending in Maine Wednesday, October 23, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King today welcomed an announcement by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) that small businesses throughout Maine have improved access to capital and technical assistance through SBA lending programs. According to the Small Business Administration, Fiscal Year 2013 saw more than $110 million dollars injected into small businesses through 422 loans approved using the Administration’s loan guarantee and microloan programs, which represents an increase of 24 percent in loan dollars compared to the past fiscal year and an 18 percent increase in total number of loans. “Small businesses across Maine and America are the driving force behind our economy and its continued recovery, and it’s critical that they have access to the financial capital and other vital resources that will help them to grow and be successful,” Senator King said. “The SBA’s announcement today demonstrates that Maine is setting the gold-standard for lending, and now Congress must do its part to help small businesses by giving them, and entrepreneurs across the country, a sense of financial certainty and stability that can only come with passing a long-term budget.” The capital provided through SBA loans goes directly into the hands of small businesses that are saving and creating jobs each day.   The loans are used to provide working capital, financing for new equipment purchases, business acquisitions and real estate purchases. To learn about current SBA loan programs and for a listing of participating lenders in Maine visit www.sba.gov/me  or call 207-622-8551. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-205-million-grant-to-support-midcoast-regional-innovation-initiative,"Collins, King Announce $2.05 Million Grant to Support Midcoast Regional Innovation Initiative",2013-10-22,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Collins, King Announce $2.05 Million Grant to Support Midcoast Regional Innovation Initiative Tuesday, October 22, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the Midcoast Regional Innovation Initiative, led by Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority and Coastal Counties Workforce, Inc., is one of 11 nationwide winners of the Make it in America Challenge and will receive two federal grants totaling $2,050,000. The grant funding is allocated as follows: $750,000 to the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority from the Economic Development Administration to support the renovation and repurposing of Building 250 at the Brunswick Landing to establish TechPlace – an advanced manufacturing accelerator. When complete, TechPlace will provide office, shop, laboratory, and workspace for aerospace, aviation, advanced materials, renewable energy and biotechnology manufacturing. The project is expected to create nearly 300 jobs in the area. $1.3 million to Coastal Counties Workforce, Inc. from the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration to reduce dependency on H-1B visas in four targeted manufacturing sectors, provide customized skills training leading to industry-recognized credentials for incumbent workers, and increase access to career pathways for unemployed workers through a “co-op” education experience with a credential-based training model “The Midcoast Regional Innovation Initiative will strengthen existing regional assets, train and create highly skilled jobs, and stimulate economic opportunity in the Midcoast area,” Senators Collins and King said in a joint statement. “This funding will provide an important catalyst for innovation, build upon the ongoing economic redevelopment efforts in the area, and provide critical support for growing regional manufacturing sectors in composites, aviation and aerospace, alternative energy and biotechnology.” The Midcoast Regional Innovation Initiative is one of 11 nationwide grants winners of the Make it in America Challenge, a national competition that seeks to encourage foreign and domestic businesses to build and/or expand their operations in the United States. The goal of this competition is to encourage re-shoring, foster increased foreign direct investment, incentivize U.S. companies to keep or expand their businesses – and jobs – here at home, and train local workers to meet the needs of those businesses. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-congratulate-young-maine-entrepreneur-,"Collins, King Congratulate Young Maine Entrepreneur",2013-10-21,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Collins, King Congratulate Young Maine Entrepreneur Founder of Sea Hag Seafood, Inc. receives national recognition for commitment to job creation and social values Monday, October 21, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today congratulated Kyle Murdock, founder of Sea Hag Seafood, Inc., on receiving the 2013 Yoshiyama Young Entrepreneurs award from the Hitachi Foundation on behalf of his leadership in business and community development. Kyle, a native of Monhegan Island, recognized the need for more lobster processing plants in Maine, and, at the age of 20, he opened his own facility in St. George to help strengthen Maine’s seafood products industry and provide stable jobs to low-income individuals. The majority of his employees come from areas with limited employment opportunities or are members of a work-release program from a local correctional facility. He is one of eight young entrepreneurs from across the country to be recognized this year. “We are incredibly proud of Kyle and all he has accomplished with his company,” said Senator Collins and King in a joint statement. “He is a bright young man whose leadership has not only brought him success in business, but has also helped strengthen his local community and the entire seafood products industry in Maine. We could not be happier that he was selected for this prestigious award.” The Yoshiyama Young Entrepreneurs Program recognizes individuals whose businesses address some of society’s most pressing issues including poverty, sustainability, education, community health, and workforce practices. In addition to a $40,000 grant, the award winners receive business mentoring and access to a network of peers and advisers through the Foundation and its partner organizations Investors’ Circle and B Lab. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/maine-delegation-supports-application-for_national-manufacturing-institute,Maine Delegation Supports Application for National Manufacturing Institute,2013-10-21,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Maine Delegation Supports Application for National Manufacturing Institute Monday, October 21, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Maine Congressional delegation announced today that it is supporting the New England Consortium’s application to build a National Manufacturing Innovation Institute within New England. The application, led by Draper Laboratory of Massachusetts and a steering committee of academia, industry and workforce development organizations in New England, was submitted to the Department of Defense this afternoon as part of a national competition to construct a Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute (DMDI). The DMDI Institute would serve as a regional hub designed to bridge the gap between basic research and product development, bringing together companies, universities and community colleges, as well as federal and state agencies to co-invest in technology areas that encourage investment and production in the United States. The collaborative application is also supported by Maine’s fellow New England states, including New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Vermont, as well as New York and Florida. “America was built by hardworking men and women who put their minds, hearts, and hands to work for the betterment of our country. To this day the manufacturing industry they built plays a vital role in our economy, both here at home in Maine and across the nation,” the delegation said in a joint statement. “A manufacturing institute led in a collaborative way by industry, academia, and states will directly support and strengthen manufacturing as it rebounds and transforms into an even more powerful economic force, and we strongly believe that the New England application, including our great state of Maine, is a top contender.” The competition, which is part of President Obama's plan to establish a National Network for Manufacturing Innovation, will create three new Manufacturing Innovation Institutes across the country. All three institutes will be selected through an open, competitive process, led by the Departments of Energy and Defense, with review from a multi-agency team of technical experts. The goal is to achieve an advanced manufacturing infrastructure that provides a 'teaching factory' to educate and train students and workers at all levels, while providing the shared assets to help companies and small manufacturers access the cutting-edge capabilities and equipment to design, test, and pilot new products and manufacturing processes. Maine and the rest of the New England states joined together earlier this year in an effort to submit a joint proposal to the Department of Defense for the DMDI Institute. The proposal was supported by all four members of the Maine Congressional delegation, as well as the rest of the New England delegation, and was accepted by the Department of Defense to move forward to the current final round of the competition. If the New England Consortium's proposal is selected, the DMDI Institute will also include Centers of Excellence in each participating state with advanced manufacturing capability and specific focus areas. Maine’s Center of Excellence will focus on next-generation facility design development and optimization, which would allow companies to understand and conduct studies between product design and factory implementation, leading to a virtually designed manufacturing factory in which the fabrication processes and flows could be conducted prior to committing significant resources. New England boasts a significant and impressive concentration of innovation, design, manufacturing, and life-cycle support to Defense Department missions. In particular, New England is uniquely situated with a geographic concentration and density of world-class universities and researchers, a demonstrable history of innovation, and outstanding facilities with an enviable record of technology transition and fostering new business creation. The New England partners in the DMDI application range geographically from shipyards along the coastlines of Maine and New Hampshire to manufacturing plants in Northern New England and innovation hotbeds in the major metropolitan centers of Boston, Hartford, and Providence. Final winning teams will be selected and announced in December. Federal funds will be matched by industry co-investment, support from state and local governments, and other sources. The ultimate objective is to create a network of 12 to 15 total manufacturing innovative institutes across the country with an associated network of Manufacturing Centers of Excellence located within each state. While three National Manufacturing Institutes have been funded, any future institutes are dependent upon appropriations from Congress. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/article/king-ayotte-to-seek-new-budget-path,"King, Ayotte to seek new budget path",2013-10-20,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King, Ayotte to seek new budget path By:  Deborah McDermott Sunday, October 20, 2013 The federal government shutdown is over — for the moment. Now what? The answer will likely be forged over the next two months by a bipartisan congressional budget panel charged with preventing another shutdown and debt ceiling crisis in early 2014. The stakes couldn't be higher, said Sens. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., and Angus King, I-Maine, who are on the committee. ""Finding a resolution is going to be exceedingly difficult, and there has to be movement on both sides, which both sides have been unwilling to make up until now,"" King said. ""I am hoping that people come into this realizing that what we have just been through is not good for the economy or for our constituents,"" Ayotte said. ""I hope that will provide extra motivation."" The Budget Conference Committee, as the panel is known, is charged with creating a 2014 budget, at the very least, and a nine-year substitute for automatic budget cuts, at its optimistic best. Under a plan passed by Congress on Wednesday, the federal government is funded until Jan. 15 and borrowing is permitted until Feb. 7. The conference committee has until Dec. 15 to come up with an alternate long-term plan. The two senators come into the conference committee having served in a bipartisan group of senators that created a plan similar to the one passed on Wednesday. Senate leaders adopted key provisions of that plan. ""I was encouraged by that,"" Ayotte said. ""We served as a model, in the sense of proving that a group of us can work together even when the sides are entrenched."" Both senators bring different sensibilities to the table. Ayotte said she would like to see what she termed some ""mandatory savings"" replaced by ""discretionary savings."" Mandatory programs include Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid — so-called ""entitlement programs"" — and interest on the debt. Discretionary funds go through congressional appropriations. Under automatic budget cuts called sequestration, across-the-board reductions have to be made to all discretionary spending. The military portion comprises 50 percent and all other programs comprise 50 percent. While federal departments need flexibility to determine how to make cuts, ""flexibility doesn't add money,"" Ayotte said. ""We need to add some money back, particularly for defense."" She said she and a small group of Republican senators met over the summer with the White House, and she believes there is some appetite for at least looking at some shifting of funds from the mandatory side of the ledger. However, she added, ""if we make changes to entitlements, we have to make them carefully because we have to preserve them for the long term."" Medicaid, and particularly Medicare, are growing at such a clip that any budget discussion has to focus on how to deal with them, King said. ""Medical costs are what's driving the deficit,"" he said. ""Everything else is pretty flat. Health care is where the growth is. The problem is, if you have a cap on revenues, what we're saying is we're going to let health care eat everything else — including defense."" He said House Budget Committee chairman Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., wants to deal with the growth by shifting costs from the federal government to seniors through a voucher program. King suggests the tax code be reformed to reduce income tax deductions and exemptions — something the Ryan budget looks to do. But instead of taking the savings and instituting tax cuts for top-earning Americans, King would like to see it used to help handle health care costs. ""What I'm going to argue is, 'You guys have already crossed the Rubicon (by proposing exemptions), so let's talk about where it goes.' I think there can also be some entitlement reform."" King and Ayotte both said some path has to be found forward, because the recent congressional stalemate was manifestly unfair to government workers. ""They don't want to go through this again. This uncertainty is not acceptable,"" Ayotte said. King said he went to Syria in July, ""and my overall impression is that we have a marvelous group of people working for the U.S. government — like intelligence and State Department folks,"" he said. ""They're idealistic and hard-working. And they haven't had a raise in three years, they've been furloughed and they're a long way from home. It's not right."" Ayotte said she'd like to see the committee tackle a full nine-year plan that would substitute for the sequestration measure imposed by the Budget Control Act of 2011. ""But if we can't do that, we need to get a funding plan for a year. People need to know they don't have to go through this again."" King said ""as a matter of dollars and the financial ability to do it,"" reaching an agreement is ""very doable. It won't be without pain, but we can do it."" Laughing, he added, ""tell your readers King said help is on the way. Maybe."" Ayotte office hours A member of Sen. Kelly Ayotte's staff will hold office hours Monday, Oct. 21, in five Seacoast towns to assist citizens with official business. Residents can stop by at the following times or call Simon Thomson at 622-7979 to schedule an appointment. New Castle Town Office: 49 Main St., 9 to 10 a.m. Portsmouth City Hall: 1 Junkins Ave., 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Greenland Town Office, 575 Portsmouth Ave., noon to 1:00 p.m. Newington Town Office, 205 Nimble Hill Road, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Hampton Falls Town Office, 1 Drinkwater Road, 3 to 4 p.m.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-congratulates-penobscot-job-corps-for-environmental-sustainability-achievement,King Congratulates Penobscot Job Corps for Environmental Sustainability Achievement,2013-10-20,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Congratulates Penobscot Job Corps for Environmental Sustainability Achievement Sunday, October 20, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King today congratulated the Penobscot Job Corps Academy (PJCA) for its recent certification as a Center of Environmental Excellence.  PJCA was recognized for its leadership in implementing Job Corps’ Guiding Principles for High Performance Green Buildings initiative, and is one of only two centers in the country to receive this distinction. Based in Bangor, PJCA offers young adults vital education and career skills training at no cost to help them prepare for success in today’s job market and improve their overall quality of life. “The Penobscot Job Corps Academy provides young people in Maine and across the country with opportunities to improve employment prospects through academic and technical training programs,” said Senator King. “I am thrilled to see this tremendously important resource recognized for its leadership and commitment to meeting the highest standard of environment sustainability and awareness. I want to congratulate everyone at PJCA for their work in this outstanding accomplishment.” Job Corps, administered by the U.S. Department of Labor, seeks to help young Americans reach their full potential through a variety of education and vocational training opportunities. More information about the program can be found at: www.jobcorps.gov. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/article/maine-sen-king-offers-to-be-bridge-between-parties,Maine Sen. King offers to be bridge between parties,2013-10-17,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Maine Sen. King offers to be bridge between parties He calls the shutdown ‘ridiculous and totally unnecessary.’ By:  Tom Bell Thursday, October 17, 2013 Independent U.S. Sen. Angus King of Maine said Thursday that he will try to bring Democrats and Republicans together in the coming weeks to develop a budget agreement that gets the nation’s debt under control. I hope I can be a bridge,” said King, who was appointed late Wednesday to a special bipartisan committee that will have the task of finding ways to reduce the federal deficit and boost the economy. The committee, a product of this week’s deal to reopen the federal government and avert a potential default, has been given a mid-December deadline to come up with a working agreement. King was highly critical of Congress on Thursday while speaking at the University of Southern Maine in Portland as part of an eight-week speaker series focused on how politics have changed in Maine and the nation. King said the recent crisis, which led to a 16-day shutdown of the federal government and nearly caused the United States to run out of enough cash to pay its bills, was “ridiculous and totally unnecessary.” He said the crisis was a product of a politically polarized environment that has become dominated by money. For some House Republicans, shutting down the government was not just a threat but a desired outcome, King said. “They don’t want to govern.” The system of checks and balances established by the U.S. Constitution has worked well for the nation because there has been common interest in providing an effective government, King said. But when a group of representatives isn’t interested in governing, “it’s ridiculously easy to screw up the system.” King said it’s harder to reach compromises in Washington now because senators and representatives don’t know each other personally, as they did in the past, when they would attend the same parties. He said most of them return to their home states every weekend and spend much of their time raising money for the next election. King also blamed the “balkanized” news media, which causes people to get news from partisan outlets. “We are living in an alternative-reality universe where we don’t share the facts,” he said. Regarding the budget deficit, King said discretionary portions of the federal budget are under control, such as spending by agencies and the military. The problem, he said, is that increasing health care costs are making entitlement programs such as Medicare and Medicaid unsustainable. Also, health care costs for federal workers and retirees keep rising, he said. They key to reducing the federal deficit, he said, is to find ways to lower the cost of health care – not just shift costs. The Maine Public Broadcasting Network will broadcast a recording of King’s speech on its radio network at 1 p.m. Wednesday.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-appointed-to-budget-conference-committee,King Appointed to Budget Conference Committee,2013-10-17,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Appointed to Budget Conference Committee Group of lawmakers tasked with crafting a long-term budget Thursday, October 17, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is one of a select few lawmakers who has been appointed to a joint House and Senate budget conference committee charged with developing a long-term budget plan by December 13th. “I am pleased to be a member of the conference committee, and I look forward to working with my House and Senate colleagues to develop a long-term budget that puts our nation back on a path to fiscal certainty and stability,” Senator King said. “Passing a budget is the most fundamental task of governing, and it’s not been done for far too long. There is no doubt that reconciling the differences will be challenging, but it’s also an invaluable opportunity for us to do some real good for the country and demonstrate to the American people that we still have the ability to govern.” The conference committee, which consists of 29 total members between the House and Senate, is a result of last night’s agreement to reopen the government and lift the debt ceiling. The committee is tasked with reconciling the differences between the two budgets passed by the Senate and the House earlier this year. Senator King, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, helped to craft the Senate’s budget and has been a vocal proponent of moving to conference.   U.S. Senate   Democrats and Independents  Republicans  Sen. Patty Murray (WA)  Sen. Ron Wyden (OR)  Sen. Bill Nelson (FL)  Sen. Debbie Stabenow (MI)  Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)  Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (RI)  Sen. Mark Warner (VA)  Sen. Jeff Merkley (OR)  Sen. Chris Coons (DE)  Sen. Tammy Baldwin (WI)  Sen. Tim Kaine (VA)  Sen. Angus King (I-ME)    Sen. Jeff Sessions (AL)  Sen. Charles Grassley (IA)  Sen. Mike Enzi (WY)  Sen. Mike Crapo (ID)  Sen. Lindsey Graham (SC)  Sen. Rob Portman (OH)  Sen. Pat Toomey (PA)  Sen. Ron Johnson (WI)  Sen. Kelly Ayotte (NH)  Sen. Roger Wicker (MS)   U.S. House of Representatives   Democrats                                Republicans  Rep. Chris Van Hollen (MD)  Rep. James Clyburn (SC)  Rep. Nita Lowey (NY)  Rep. Paul Ryan (WI)  Rep. Tom Cole (OK)  Rep. Tom Price (GA)  Rep. Diane Black (TN)   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/news/video-and-audio/view/king-praises-bipartisan-agreement-to-end-government-shutdown-avert-default-on-national-credit,"King Praises Bipartisan Agreement to End Government Shutdown, Avert Default on National Credit",2013-10-16,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"On the floor of the Senate, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) today praised an announcement by Majority Leader Harry Reid that a bipartisan solution has been brokered between the two leaders that will end the government shutdown, avert a default on the nation's credit, and restart negotiations on a long-term budget. Senator King was part of a bipartisan group of fourteen senators -- seven Republicans and six Democrats -- that had been negotiating a similar plan that served as a foundation for the one announced by the leader.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-announces-resolution-to-boat-launch-closure-at-moosehorn-national-wildlife-refuge,King Announces Resolution to Boat Launch Closure at Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge,2013-10-16,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Announces Resolution to Boat Launch Closure at Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge Wednesday, October 16, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C.  – U.S. Senator Angus King released the following statement today after working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on an agreement that would not enforce the closure of the state-owned boat launch at Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge: “After consulting with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service this morning, I am pleased to say that USFWS has agreed not to enforce the closure of the boat launch, which is a critical facility for local fishermen who rely on it for their jobs and livelihood,” Senator King said. “While not enforcing the closure is a welcomed decision, it is nonetheless a temporary fix, and Congress must vote to immediately end the shutdown and reopen vital facilities like this across the state and the nation.” Due to the government shutdown, Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge, like all national wildlife refuges across the country, is closed. All activities on the refuge, including hunting, fishing, wildlife watching, hiking, boating, and conservation education, are affected as a result and the closure has had a detrimental impact on area fishermen. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-praises-bipartisan-agreement-to-end-government-shutdown-avert-default-on-national-credit,"King Praises Bipartisan Agreement to End Government Shutdown, Avert Default on National Credit",2013-10-16,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Praises Bipartisan Agreement to End Government Shutdown, Avert Default on National Credit Wednesday, October 16, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the floor of the Senate, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) today praised an announcement by Majority Leader Harry Reid and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell that a bipartisan solution has been brokered between the two leaders that will end the government shutdown, avert a default on the nation’s credit, and restart negotiations on a long-term budget.  Senator King was part of a bipartisan group of fourteen senators – seven Republicans and six Democrats – that had been negotiating a similar plan that served as a foundation for the one announced by the leaders. To watch Senator King’s remarks, click here. The transcript of Senator King’s remarks, as delivered, are below: “Winston Churchill once famously observed that Americans will always do the right thing, only after they have tried everything else. I think the last two weeks demonstrates the wisdom of that observation. I want to join my colleagues in congratulating first the leaders for putting aside their substantial differences, their substantial partisan divide, to meet together over the last two or three days and hammer out an agreement that is not going to be acceptable or exciting to anyone but will, in fact, put America back together in terms of our government functioning, avoiding the threat of default, and allowing us to move forward on the nation’s problems. “My first congratulations is to Senator Harry Reid and Senator Mitch McConnell for coming together as they have in the last 24 hours. I also have to really acknowledge the leadership of my senior colleague from Maine, Susan Collins. I happened to be presiding the day that she made her speech last Saturday, and it was really her initiative to stand up and take a risk and say, ‘Let's try to work something out.’ And she outlined a beginning of a framework, which was then fleshed out over the last ten days of discussions among the group that we've been talking about. “And I was interviewed recently on the radio, and somebody said, ‘Well, don't you think Senator Collins may be subject to some criticism from some quarter or another about her role in all of this?’ And I paused for a minute and I said, ‘That's what leadership is.’ It's the willingness to bear criticism, to stick your neck out. As my Dad used to say it's like the turtle crossing the road. The only way the turtle can cross the road is to stick his neck out. And that's what we're trying to do on behalf of the American people. “I see that Senator Patty Murray is not on the floor right now, but I am so glad that we are now entering into a process where she and her colleagues on the Budget Committee will be able to work with Congressman Ryan, and try to really solve some of these issues that have been plaguing us so severely. And we're doing it as we should – in the proper process – so I'm delighted that Senator Murray is now going to step into this role, which is one of the most important that we've had in recent years, and we'll be able to work toward a resolution. “This is an important and perhaps historic compromise where Congress was really looking into the abyss, where Congress was really proving that it could not function, and our system could not function in the divided politics of America today. It now appears that our leaders have pulled us back from that abyss and given us an opportunity – an opportunity, not a guarantee – but an opportunity to continue the discussions that started with this terrible shutdown, and give us the opportunity to try to bring our country together and to resolve the problems that we face. “It's a shame that we've spent so much time doing what I think is the obvious: run the government, pay our bills. But now that we seem to have passed through this moment, now we can move forward into the long-term challenges of our budgets, of the challenges facing our people, our ability to solve problems, and prove once again that this wonderful Constitution that has been bequeathed to us can still function, can still produce results, can still govern this country. “Abraham Lincoln said that we can't escape history. We can't escape history. And this morning the Chaplain's prayer talked about being accountable to history, and that indeed is what we are doing in this body, and I hope that history will judge today as a moment where the beginning of a new era of cooperation and civility and problem-solving – not the loss of our differences, not the papering over of legitimate arguments of principle – but at least the ability to try to work together, to talk to each other, to respect one another, to listen to one another, those are the essential qualities of leadership that I believe we're seeing demonstrated here today. And I hope that it is a beginning, and I want to congratulate and thank all my colleagues, but especially the two leaders for getting us to this moment.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-passes-measure-to-reopen-government-and-avert-national-credit-default,Senate Passes Measure to Reopen Government & Avert National Credit Default,2013-10-16,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senate Passes Measure to Reopen Government & Avert National Credit Default Wednesday, October 16, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the support of U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), the Senate tonight passed a bipartisan measure that will reopen the government, avert a default on the national credit, and restart negotiations to achieve a long-term budget. The House of Representatives is expected to also pass the measure and send it to the President for his signature before the midnight deadline. Following the 81-18 vote, Senator King released the following statement: “As a result of the bipartisan agreement passed today, funding for the government will be restored, the threat of an historic and catastrophic default will be averted, and the table is now set to restart serious negotiations between the House and Senate on a long-term budget that will put our nation on a path to fiscal stability. “I commend Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for recognizing that the costs of inaction would have been both unprecedented and monumentally perilous for our nation and the global economy. Today, they set aside their partisan differences in order to work together in a constructive and civil manner, and I applaud both of them for reaching a compromise. “Additionally, over the past two weeks a bipartisan group of senators, led by my home-state colleague and friend Senator Susan Collins, had also gathered together to forge a similar solution to end the government shutdown and resolve the debt ceiling debate. I applaud Senator Collins, as well as my other colleagues who were involved, for their work in these negotiations which I strongly believe helped to move the process forward and lay the foundation for the plan that we passed this evening. I am proud to have been a member of that group, and it is my hope that this same type of collaboration will become commonplace in the future. “While I am encouraged by the bipartisan nature of the final agreement and the hard work that my colleagues have done to help move the final process forward, it is nonetheless extremely troubling that the federal government had to, once again, stare into the dark abyss before taking action. The American people expect more from their government, and after all of this, it should be abundantly clear that Congress cannot continue to imperil the country’s economic future by playing political games with the budget and appropriations bills. The plan passed tonight once again presents us with the opportunity to prove that Congress can govern and that this institution can still function. We need to seize that opportunity not only for the American people, but for our future as well.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-urge-passage-of-bipartisan-plan-to-open-government-and-avoid-default,Senators Urge Passage of Bipartisan Plan to Open Government and Avoid Default,2013-10-16,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senators Urge Passage of Bipartisan Plan to Open Government and Avoid Default Wednesday, October 16, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – A bipartisan group of United States Senators is urging Congressional approval of a bipartisan Reid-McConnell agreement to reopen the federal government and avoid a default on the national debt.  The group of fourteen senators—seven Republicans, six Democrats, and one Independent— have been negotiating a compromise plan to reopen government, avert the default, and restart budget negotiations on a long-term fiscal plan to deal with our nation’s unsustainable debt, among other provisions. “We are pleased that elements of our plan have been incorporated into the Senate leaders’ plan,” the Senators said in a joint statement. “The clock has run out, and it is time for our colleagues in both houses of Congress to adopt this bipartisan agreement.” Below are the members of the bipartisan group:  Republicans Susan Collins (ME) Lisa Murkowski (AK) Kelly Ayotte (NH) John McCain (AZ) Mike Johanns (NE) Mark Kirk (IL) Jeff Flake (AZ)          Democrats and Independent Joe Manchin (WV) Mark Pryor (AR) Amy Klobuchar (MN) Angus King (I-ME) caucuses with Democrats Joe Donnelly (IN) Heidi Heitkamp (ND) Jeanne Shaheen (NH) ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-statement-on-statoil-decision,King Statement on Statoil Decision,2013-10-15,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Statement on Statoil Decision Tuesday, October 15, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King released the following statement today on Statoil’s decision to no longer pursue its offshore wind project in Maine: “I am very disappointed to learn that Statoil intends to cease the development of its offshore wind project in Maine. I strongly believe that the floating offshore wind industry, including Statoil’s proposal, presents Maine with a once-in-a-hundred year opportunity to become a global leader in an emerging energy field that would not only put Mainers to work, but also grow our state’s economy for years to come. Much to my regret, however, the realization of that opportunity suffered a serious setback today, and I am disappointed by the news. “Despite this announcement, though, the fact remains that the Gulf of Maine continues to be one of the world’s premier resource locations to harvest wind energy, and moving forward, it is my hope that it will also continue to serve as an ocean laboratory for offshore pilot projects, and eventually, full-scale wind farms that will deliver clean, home-grown energy to homes throughout Maine and the northeast at a reasonable cost. I truly believe it would be a monumental mistake if Maine did not seize upon this industry’s enormous potential.""  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/statement-from-6-senators-responding-to-mcconnell-on-debt-limit-and-government-shutdown-negotiations,Statement from 6 Senators Responding to McConnell on Debt Limit & Government Shutdown Negotiations,2013-10-13,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Statement from 6 Senators Responding to McConnell on Debt Limit & Government Shutdown Negotiations Sunday, October 13, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Mark Pryor (D-AR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Angus King (I-ME), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), and Joe Manchin (D-WV) today released the following statement responding to Senator McConnell’s comments regarding negotiations to raise the debt limit and end the government shutdown. “We have been involved in productive, bipartisan discussions with Senator Collins and other Republican senators, but we do not support the proposal in its current form. There are negotiations, but there is no agreement.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-statement-on-pnsy-biw-guard-employees-returning-to-work,"Collins, King Statement on PNSY, BIW, Guard Employees Returning to Work",2013-10-07,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Collins, King Statement on PNSY, BIW, Guard Employees Returning to Work Monday, October 7, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today issued the following statement regarding Maine Army and Air National Guard, Bath Iron Works and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard employees returning to work:   “We are certainly pleased that the dedicated members of the Maine National Guard and civilian federal employees at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and at Bath Iron Works are returning to work, but remain frustrated that they were ever furloughed in the first place. The ‘Pay Our Military Act’ is now being implemented as Congress intended and as we clarified in our letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel,” Senators Collins and King said in a joint statement. “We will continue to closely examine how the Pentagon administers this law, especially as it relates to other defense installations in our state.”   Last Friday, Senators Collins and King joined a bipartisan group of 50 senators in sending a letter to Secretary Hagel urging him to review furlough policies in light of the “Pay Our Military Act” being made law. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-statement-on-defense-secretarys-announcement-regarding-furloughs,"Collins, King Statement on Defense Secretary’s Announcement Regarding Furloughs",2013-10-05,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Collins, King Statement on Defense Secretary’s Announcement Regarding Furloughs Saturday, October 5, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – A day after sending a letter to Secretary Hagel regarding the implementation of the “Pay Our Military Act,” U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today issued a statement regarding Secretary Hagel’s announcement that many Department of Defense civilians placed on furlough during the government shutdown will be asked to return to work beginning next week:   “We will closely examine the Pentagon's plan to implement the guidance Secretary Hagel issued today that will permit many civilians, reservists and contractors to return to work and receive pay. The full-time members of the Maine National Guard and Reserves and the dedicated civilian employees who work at defense installations across Maine provide direct support to our military and therefore should be among those permitted to immediately return to work and receive pay.”   “In addition, we both firmly believe that a solution to end the government shutdown must be found immediately, because while this announcement provides welcome relief to many DOD employees, a resolution is necessary to ensure the remaining furloughed workers can return to work. The American people deserve a government that is open for business.”   Yesterday, Senators Collins and King joined a bipartisan group of 50 senators in sending a letter to Secretary Hagel yesterday urging him to review furlough policies in light of the “Pay Our Military Act” being made law.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-king-government-shutdown-shouldnt-be-used-as-a-negotiating-tool,Sen. King: Government Shutdown Shouldn’t Be Used as a Negotiating Tool,2013-10-05,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sen. King: Government Shutdown Shouldn’t Be Used as a Negotiating Tool Saturday, October 5, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – In an impassioned speech on the floor of the United States Senate today, U.S. Senator Angus King voiced his belief that the government shutdown should not be used as leverage to negotiate changes to the Affordable Care Act or achieve any other policy objectives that otherwise could not be enacted through the normal legislative process because of the precedent it would set for legislating in the future. “My intention coming here was to help solve problems, to find common ground, to work together with colleagues from both sides of the aisle. That’s my history,” Senator King said in his remarks. “But the important thing about … this discussion is: it's all taking place in the context of a government shutdown. That’s not where negotiations should be made. That’s not where negotiation and discussion should be had. …This is why, I think in this one case, negotiation really isn't the right course. It’s a process problem. It’s a practical problem, and I believe it’s a constitutional problem.” “This is an attempt to rewrite a major piece of substantive law through holding the government hostage, which is a result that cannot be achieved through the normal democratic and constitutional processes. That’s the core of this current situation. That’s what's bothering me about it,” Senator King said. “I don't mind negotiating budgets. I do think we shouldn't use the threat of a government shutdown – or, now the reality of a government shutdown, to obtain legislative and policy benefits that we can't otherwise attain through the normal constitutional process.” “I would love to sit down in good faith with people and try to fix them [problems with the Affordable Care Act] …but I think the way to do that is not in the context of the government being held hostage. We don't – and here's the real problem – if we do it now this will become the normal way we legislate around here.” Senator King concluded. “I want to talk. I want to negotiate. I want to solve problems, but not at the expense of this institution, not at the expense of the Constitution, and not at the expense of the American people.” To watch Senator King’s remarks, click here. The complete transcript of Senator King’s remarks is below: +++ “Madam President, my intention coming here was to help solve problems, to find common ground, to work together with colleagues from both sides of the aisle. That's my history, and in fact, that was my primary motivation for running, for stepping into the shoes of my illustrious predecessor, Olympia Snowe of Maine. “And, in fact, that's what we did this summer on student loans when a small group of bipartisan senators worked together to find a compromise, work it through both sides of this body, both parties, and then through the House, and then get the signature of the President. We got 81 votes in the Senate; 392 in the House. That’s what I want to try to do. That was a validation of what I’m here for. And this situation that we are in now cries out for resolution. It cries out for finding common ground, for compromising, getting everybody back to work, getting the government shutdown over – so why aren't we doing it? Why aren't we out cutting a deal? Why aren't we out compromising? “Well, I’ve talked to my colleagues here in the Senate on both sides of the aisle, talked to House members, both Republicans and Democrats, and there are lots of options. And, in fact, the House has sent us a series of options: the first one was essentially defund, effectively repeal, the Affordable Care Act. Then it was to delay the Affordable Care Act. Then it was to delay a part of the Affordable Care Act, but the important thing about these options and this discussion is: it's all taking place in the context of a government shutdown. That’s not where negotiations should be made. That’s not where negotiation and discussion should be had, when essentially the government has been shut down and one side is saying, ‘We won't allow the government to operate unless you give us what we want on a substantive piece of legislation.’ This is the problem, Madam President. This is why, I think in this one case, negotiation really isn't the right course. It’s a process problem. It’s a practical problem, and I believe it’s a constitutional problem. “It’s perfectly appropriate to negotiate budgets. As a governor, I did it four times for biennial budgets and innumerable supplemental budgets, and it is perfectly appropriate to negotiate up to the deadline – lots of late nights. That’s when this work, for some reason, seems to get done. But in those contexts of budgets – of negotiating the most fundamental governmental document – you negotiate about numbers, about details, about allocations. You don't negotiate about entirely separate substantive pieces of law. “And, in fact, that happened a month ago right here when Leader Reid and Speaker Boehner negotiated a continuing resolution on what the number should be, and it was a hot and heavy negotiation, and the Leader compromised. He said, ‘Let's go forward, because we can do this cleanly with a continuing resolution at a lower level than the Senate Democrats felt was appropriate – then what was in the budget that was passed earlier this year.’ But that's not what's going on here. We're not negotiating about what are the dollar amounts of the budget or what are the details or what are the allocations, how much to defense and how much to head start. “This is an attempt to rewrite a major piece of substantive law through holding the government hostage, which is a result that cannot be achieved through the normal democratic and constitutional processes. That’s the core of this current situation. That’s what's bothering me about it. “I don't mind negotiating budgets. I do think we shouldn't use the threat of a government shutdown – or, now the reality of a government shutdown, to obtain legislative and policy benefits that we can't otherwise attain through the normal constitutional process. In a very real sense, Madam President, this is a frontal assault on the Constitution itself. Ironically, it is being led by many of those who wrap themselves daily in the Constitution. “I don't have one of those books, but we all know those books, ‘How a bill becomes a law.’ I guarantee you can read those books, as my father used to say, until the spots come off but there's going to be nothing in there that says, ‘Well if all else fails, hold the government hostage and then you can make a law.’ That's not what it says. Mary, my wife, got me a book when I was first elected called ‘Congress for Dummies.’ Even in Congress for Dummies, it doesn't say you can make laws, change laws, rewrite laws in the context of holding the country hostage. It is an attempt to create an alternative process – a new shortcut way of achieving political ends without having to deal with those pesky elections. “Here is the electoral history of this bill: in 2010 the Affordable Care Act was passed in early summer. There were elections in 2010 and, indeed, the Republicans gained substantial seats in the House probably because of concern about the Affordable Care Act. I’ll concede that. But the Senate didn't turn over. (By the way, that's the way the framers planned it. That's why there are six-year terms here, so public passions in one electoral cycle don't entirely change the government.) And then there was another election in 2012. In that election, in which the Affordable Care Act was a major factor, Democrats gained seats in the House, gained seats in the Senate, and the President, whose name is attached to this bill, won by 5 million votes. In my election in Maine, in every debate – and goodness knows there were probably over 20 of them – my Republican opponent started the debate by saying, ‘I want to repeal the Affordable Care Act.’ That was the whole mission – and I defended it, not in every detail, because I think it needs to be fixed, but I defended it and I won that election – and here I am. “Mr. Romney said, ‘I will repeal Obamacare on day one,’ but he lost. But here we are, Madam President, in effect trying to effectuate that agenda, that policy position, through an alternative process that skips around those annoying elections. “The passionate opponents of this Act are acting like those elections just didn't happen. Let’s be clear about what this is: this is one faction of one party in one house of one branch trying to run the entire United States government. That’s not the way our Constitution is supposed to work, and I’m confident of that statement because from talking to my friends in the House, I believe it's highly likely that if a clean continuing resolution – that means one without any strings, without any political baggage, without any repeal of the Affordable Care Act, went before the House today or tomorrow or Monday, it would pass – most of the Democrats and enough Republicans to achieve a majority, and all of this would be over. “Speaker Boehner yesterday said two things that I think were important – one I agree with and one I don't. The one I agree with is, he said, ‘This isn't a game,’ and it isn't a game. It's deadly serious. It’s deadly serious because of the impact this shutdown is having on our country and people throughout the country. “Let's talk nationally: 70 percent of the civilians of the Department of Defense have been furloughed. Seventy percent of our Intelligence agency personnel are on furlough. I'm sorry, half of the Department of Defense and 70 percent of Intelligence. We have air squadrons that are grounded. We’ve got people that are not being trained and our defense industrial base is already suffering. “In Maine we've got 1,500 people on furlough at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard; more coming at Bath Iron Works, and almost half of our National Guard people are on furlough. This isn't a game, but all of this is being done in the name of effectively repealing or crippling the Affordable Care Act. Even if you don't think it's a good law, this is not the way to go about dismantling it. It's not the way our Constitution is designed. “Why won't we negotiate, though? Why aren't the Democrats negotiating on this and maybe nick the Affordable Care Act? Well, it reminds me of a story of a city guy who came up to a farmer in Maine, and he said, ‘I like the looks of your land. I’d like to buy your farm.’ The farmer says it’s not for sale. The city guys says, ‘Well how about the 50 percent that’s down there on the river. I’d like it buy that.’ ‘It's not for sale.’ ‘How about just the quarter acre right your house is on the road?’ ‘It is not for sale.’ The city guy says, ‘Why won't you negotiate?’ Because it is not for sale. “This isn't the place or the time to negotiate. Listen, I think there are problems with the Affordable Care Act. I would love to sit down in good faith with people and try to fix them, starting with making the web sites work better, but I think the way to do that is not in the context of the government being held hostage. We don't – and here's the real problem – if we do it now this will become the normal way we legislate around here. This is a six week continuing resolution, so we nick the Affordable Care Act in this one, and next time it’s going to be, ‘Okay, we’ll take another nick.’ “What I am afraid of is this will be the normal way that we do things around here. Police and Intelligence people and military officers tell you that you don't negotiate with hostage takers. The reason you don't is because you empower, you enable, and you ensure that it will happen again. That's what worries me. “Our constitutional system has two principles in tension: one is governing and the other is checks and balances. Governing is to establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, and promote the general welfare – and of course checks and balances is the rest of the Constitution, so that we aren’t abused by our government, but if you take away the governing parts – which is what a budget is – nothing is left but checks and balances. “The framers thought of this. Madison in the 58th Federalist addressed it directly. He said it might be a good thing to have minorities have additional power above a quorum but he says these are outweighed by the opposite scale. ‘In all cases where justice of the general good requires new laws to be passed, or active measures to be pursued, the fundamental principle of free government would be reversed’ by minority rule. ‘It would no longer be the majority that would rule: the power would be transferred to the minority.’ “Lincoln put it much more succinctly: ‘If the minority will not acquiesce, the majority must, or the government, must cease. There is no other alternative for continuing the government, is acquiescence on one side or the other.’ That's what is at stake here: governing. “I understand the opposition – although I frankly don’t fully understand not wanting people to have health insurance – but I understand the passion, the attempt. I think the Speaker is a good man and he wants to do the right thing. I understand the need to get something – to win something in this weird atmosphere where everyone has to win or lose, but they gave it their best shot, it didn't work, let's move on. Let's have a clean vote in the House so the American people and the world know that we still know how to govern. “I want to talk. I want to negotiate. I want to solve problems, but not at the expense of this institution, not at the expense of the Constitution, and not at the expense of the American people. “Thank you, Madam President.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-statement-on-capitol-hill-incident,King Statement on Capitol Hill Incident,2013-10-03,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"King Statement on Capitol Hill Incident Thursday, October 3, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) released the following statement today: “After the events of this afternoon, I want to again extend my deep gratitude and appreciation to the U.S. Capitol Police and the many first responders who protect us day in and day out and whose swift action today surely saved lives. “I was on the Senate floor when the gun shots were fired and remained there until the lockdown was lifted, at which time I returned to my Dirksen Senate Office. Although many of them heard the shots, I’m grateful to report that all of my staff members, both those in and out of the office, are safe and sound. “I want to thank everyone for their well-wishes and for thinking of us during the incident. My thoughts and prayers are with the injured police officer and with his family and friends.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131004205709/http://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/guide-to-the-government-shutdown-for-mainers,Guide to the Government Shutdown for Mainers,2013-10-01,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Guide to the Government Shutdown for Mainers Tuesday, October 1, 2013 What is a government shutdown? The U.S. Constitution requires that money is appropriated by Congress before it is actually spent. Since budget bills that appropriate money to fund much of the Federal Government have not been passed into law, many agencies cannot continue to operate and are shutdown. Some agencies will allow employees to perform their national security duties, and some will continue to operate because they are not funded through annual appropriations, but most will not. How may a government shutdown impact you? During a shutdown, the federal government is restricted to essential services that provide for the “safety of human life or protection of government property” which means the staff of many agencies are reduced to a minimum and could have an impact on you as a result. Here are examples of federal agencies that will affect Mainers: Social Security – The Social Security Administration anticipates furloughing around 18,000 employees. Checks for retirees and disability beneficiaries will continue as scheduled, as they are mandatory and funded indefinitely through trust funds. However, the reduced employee pool will mean that new applications for Social Security numbers and hearings for potential new disability beneficiaries will not be scheduled. Medicare – The Medicare Program will continue without disruption during a lapse in appropriations. Veterans Services – Veterans Hospitals will remain open and disability compensation will also be paid, although a host of other VA services will be impacted by the shutdown. For a comprehensive review of the effected services, click here. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits – SNAP benefits will continue to be dispersed through the month of October. Women, Infant and Children (WIC) Benefits – WIC offices will remain open and benefits will continue to be disbursed through the month. Visas and Passports – Visas and passports will be processed as usual, until the State Department runs out of funds to remain open because its services are sponsored by fees rather than Congressional appropriations. If, however, a government building that is subject to shutdown also houses a passport agency, then that agency will be subject to shutdown.   Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – Walk-in IRS offices will be closed as well as Taxpayer Advocate office.  Homeland Security – Most critical operations will continue as normal, although 14 percent of the 231,117 employees will not report to work. Border Patrol will continue operating, but the E-Verify program will cease. U.S. Citizenships & Immigration Services (USCIS) – USCIS will maintain 97 percent of its employees during the shutdown. Local offices will remain open, however, there may be delays in processing materials as support staff are unavailable, and other agencies which USCIS depends on, like the Department of Labor, are subject to shutdown. National Parks and Museums – All National Parks and museums across the country will close their doors, including Acadia. Small Business Administration – Approval for new small business loans backed by the agency would halt, including loan and grant programs. Small business mentorship programs will also shuttered, as well as programs helping disadvantaged businesses compete in the marketplace. The Affordable Care Act – The health insurance marketplace created by the health care reform law will still be running at www.healthcare.gov and through the call center at 1-800-300-5000. Navigators will still be working as well; Maine’s navigator, Western Maine Community Action, can be reached at 1-800-645-9636. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/newsletters/october-2013-newsletter,October 2013 Newsletter,2013-10-01,2013,2013-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Government Shutdown Recent votes in Congress have resulted in a temporary shutdown of the federal government. At this time, my office is suspending all activities that are not authorized by law. Pursuant to the Constitution and the Anti-Deficiency Act, during a lapse in appropriations, Senators are permitted to perform duties that fulfill constitutionally authorized responsibilities. These responsibilities include legislating and conducting Senate committee hearings. What this means: 1. Our offices are not fully staffed and our phones will not be answered; however, we will be reviewing messages received during the shutdown and will respond as we are able. 2. Emails sent to individual staff members will be responded to at the conclusion of the shutdown. 3. Letters and emails addressed to my office will be responded to at the conclusion of the shutdown. 4. With the closing of all federal offices, our constituent services team will not be able to work on any cases for you during this time, but will continue with your case after the shutdown. I promise to work closely with my Senate colleagues to resolve these funding issues as expeditiously as possible.   Healthcare Update I know many people across Maine have questions about how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will impact them, and I want to take a moment to lay out some of the opportunities the ACA will create.  The biggest opportunity is that more than 144,000 uninsured Mainers will now have access to coverage through the health insurance marketplace which opened October 1st. For more information about the ACA please explore the following resources: Healthcare.gov is the federal government's primary source of information about the ACA. The Health Insurance Marketplace is a new way to find quality private health coverage that best meets your individual needs. You can talk to a federal healthcare expert at the Marketplace Call Center by calling 800-318-2596. To connect with a certified navigator and learn about new health insurance options through the Maine Insurance Marketplace contact enroll 207. 2-1-1 Maine is a comprehensive statewide directory of over 8,000 health and human services available in Maine. To reach a trained specialist call 2-1-1 toll free. While no law is perfect, the basic purpose of the ACA is to help people find and pay for private health insurance. Other ACA provisions that are already helping Maine families include allowing 9,000 young adults in Maine to be covered through their parents' plan; saving Maine seniors on Medicare have saved $21 million on prescription drugs and assuring that Mainers with pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied health insurance. If you have additional questions please contact my office toll free at 800-432-1599 or visit my website. You can also watch my recent floor speech where I talked about the benefits of the ACA by clicking the image below.   Policy Update I recently introduced legislation that would authorize a multi-year study of the York River to determine whether it is eligible to be designated as a Wild and Scenic Partnership River by the National Parks Service. The river is an important resource for local communities and serves as an economic anchor for our commercial fisherman, hunters and recreational boaters. A special designation would allow Maine to access federal funding and other resources to better preserve its economic and environmental value.   Snap Shots from Maine In mid-September I joined students and faculty at York Middle School to ""plug-in"" more than 40 solar panels that will power all of the school's elctronic devices. The installation was spearheaded by York Goes Green, a local group committed to improved environmental stewarship.  Read more about the project here.  (Photo by Rich Beauchesne, courtesy of the Seacoast Online).   This past month I was also honored to attend the opening of Northland Enterprise's Sanford Mill redevelopment project. The transformation of this former textile mill into a thriving center for commerce and residential space illustrates what can be achieved when local, state, and federal officials work collaboratively with private entities on behalf of our communities.    In the News Our Opinion: King Speech Tells What's Right in Obamacare. King's climate change speech in Congress ponders disaster for Maine lobster industry. Syria calls US-Russia chemical weapons agreement a victory. This past week I sat down for my first joint interview with my friend and colleague Senator Susan Collins. We joined Fox ABC Maine to speak out against a shutdown of the federal government.     Please visit https://www.king.senate.gov. for more updates.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z