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://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/federal-regulators-agree-request-congresswoman-chellie-pingree-revise,Federal regulators agree to request from Congresswoman Chellie Pingree to revise important food safety rules,2013-12-19,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,ME,Chellie Pingree,P000597,pingree.house.gov,,,legacy,"Pingree, farmers argued that smaller growers would have been be forced out of business

	Federal regulators made a major announcement today about new food safety rules, withdrawing proposed regulations that Congresswoman Chellie Pingree had said would threaten small farmers around the country. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said they would spend the winter making ""significant changes"" to the proposed rules and release new regulations for comment next summer.

	""This is a major victory for farmers in Maine and across the country,"" Pingree said. ""The one-size-fits-all approach the FDA was pursuing was overkill for thousands of small farmers and would have put many of them out of business. The size of the regulation just didn't match the size of the risk.""

	Pingree said she's reserving judgment until the new rules come out, but said the FDA's announcement today is a good sign.

	""We will have to wait and see what the rules look like next summer, but it's clear the FDA has heard what we've been saying and took it seriously,"" Pingree said. ""The farmers and consumers around the country who made their voices heard on this issue deserve a lot of credit for today's announcement.""

	The FDA has agreed to withdraw proposed rules about water quality testing, standards for using manure as compost and regulations affecting mixed-use facilities. New rules will be proposed early next summer followed by a comment period.

	In a statement announcing the changes, the FDA said ""we have learned a great deal, and our thinking has evolved"" on food safety regulations. The FDA's statement can be found here.

	Pingree helped organized a public hearing in Augusta last summer in which over 150 farmers and producers turned out to urge top FDA officials not to follow through with rules that would cripple smaller operations. Pingree has been a strong proponent of making sure the voices of small farmers were heard during this process. (Video of Chellie's testimony is here)

	The FDA had estimated that a medium-sized farm with annual gross sales of $250,000 to $500,000 would spend $13,000 a year in compliance costs. For farms with sales over $500,000 that cost jumps to over $30,000 a year.

	Pingree has been involved in farming and farm policy in Maine for forty years and currently owns a farm on the island of North Haven where she raises a variety of vegetables as well as chicken, turkeys, pigs and goats.",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://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/bipartisan-group-reps-agree-do-not-import-unsafe-chinese-chicken,Bipartisan Group of Reps. Agree: Do Not Import Unsafe Chinese Chicken,2013-12-18,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,ME,Chellie Pingree,P000597,pingree.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congresswoman Chellie Pingree joined thirteen other bipartisan members of the House of Representatives today to call on their colleagues to ensure unsafe chicken from China does not make its way to US shelves. Their letter asks that the 2014 Agriculture Department (USDA) funding bill ensure Chinese-processed chicken is kept out of the school lunch and other child nutrition programs. It also asks that the bill prevent poultry slaughtered in China from being exported to the US. Consider the impact of China's weak enforcement of food safety laws and regulations they wrote to the Chairmen and senior Democrats of the subcommittees responsible for funding the USDA.More than 300,000 Chinese children fell seriously ill, with some dying, from melamine-tainted milk powder; dangerously high levels of mercury found in Chinese baby formula; the sale of more than $1 million worth of rat and other small mammal meat passed off to consumers as lamb; and more than 16,000 diseased pig carcasses dumped in a river to rot. Last year China Central Television revealed that a Chinese poultry supplier provided Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants with chicken fattened by large quantities of illegal drugs. In addition, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently announced that,since 2007, pet treats imported from China containing contaminated chicken have killed 600 dogs and cats in the United States, and sickened 3,600 more. According to the World Health Organization, so far 45 of the 136 people whocontracted the H7N9 bird flu in China this year have died. The letter can be read in its entirety here. Numerous advocacy and consumer safety groups support the representatives' letter, including: Food and Water Watch, Consumer Federation of America, National Farmers Union, Consumers Union and the Center for Foodborne Illness.",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://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/pingree-releases-county-county-breakdown-effects-ending-unemployment,Pingree releases county-by-county breakdown of effects of ending unemployment insurance coverage,2013-12-17,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,ME,Chellie Pingree,P000597,pingree.house.gov,,,legacy,"At least 3,300 in Maine set to lose coverage statewide by end of the month

	Today Congresswoman Chellie Pingree released a new county-by-county breakdown of the number of people who would immediately lose all of their unemployment insurance on Dec. 28 if Congress fails to extend the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program. Republicans last week blocked an effort by House Democrats to extend the program into 2014. The county-by-county breakdown, an estimate of the minimum number of people who will lose benefits, is below. The information was provided by the Maine Bureau of Unemployment Compensation.

	""If unemployment insurance runs out for these people, there will be thousands of families across the state who are suddenly going to find it much harder to pay for basic necessities like food and heat,"" Pingree said. ""There is never a good time for something like this, but the middle of a cold winter is about the worst possible time to do this to these people.""

	Overall, at least 3,300 people in Maine are set to lose their insurance coverage immediately on Dec. 28. An additional 8,900 people in Maine will lose their coverage in the first six months of 2014 if Republicans continue to block an extension of the program.

	Emergency unemployment insurance took effect in 2008 and has been reauthorized several times as Americans continue to recover from the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Despite the real progress the economy has made since its near collapse in 2008, there are still 1.3 million fewer jobs than there were before the recession began and long-term unemployment as a percentage of the unemployed is 37 percent, near historic highs.

	Failure to extend federal unemployment insurance would also hurt job growth throughout the nation, costing the economy 240,000 jobs, according to the White House Council of Economic Advisers (CEA). The CEA estimates that in Maine alone, failing to extend the program will cost 675 jobs.

	Below are county-by-county estimates the number of current recipients of unemployment insurance who would see their benefits end if Congress fails to act to extend them.

	  COUNTY # OF PEOPLE LOSING COVERAGE DEC. 28  
	Androscoggin 309  
	Aroostook 205  
	Cumberland 551  
	Franklin 73  
	Hancock 143  
	Kennebec 279  
	Knox 66  
	Lincoln 70  
	Oxford 143  
	Penobscot 377  
	Piscataquis 50  
	Sagadahoc 57  
	Somerset 174  
	Waldo 112  
	Washington 91  
	York 417  
	Out of State 183  
	Grand Total 3,300",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://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/feds-regulation-antibiotics-farm-animals-good-start-much-more-needs-be,Feds' regulation of antibiotics for farm animals a good start but much more needs to be done,2013-12-11,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,ME,Chellie Pingree,P000597,pingree.house.gov,,,legacy,"Pingree supports legislation that cracks down on the use of drugs in feed

	  Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said today she's glad the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is beginning to regulate the use of human antibiotics in animal feed, but says the rules need to be much tougher. Today the FDA proposed two new regulations that are aimed to limit the use of those drugs on farms.

	  
	""The use of antibiotics to fatten up animals on big factory farms has gotten out of hand and has become a threat to human health. The practice should be stopped and the rules the FDA are proposing today fall far short of that,"" Pingree said. ""But at least it's a start and a recognition that this is a problem. The Obama Administration has a three-year plan to limit the use of antibiotics in animal feed and I hope this is the first step in that effort."" Pingree is a cosponsor of a bill that would crack down on the use of the drugs for healthy animals while still allowing for the treatment of sick animals. (Specifically, the bill would withdraw eight classes of antibiotics that are essential to human health from use on food-animal farms unless animals or herds are sick with disease, or unless drug companies can prove that their routine use does not harm human health.) The use of antibiotics to stimulate rapid growth in animals and fight off diseases when they are kept in close quarters has increased dramatically. In 2011, farmers used nearly four times as much antibiotics in feed as doctors prescribed for humans. Scientists say the overuse of antibiotics is resulting in new superbugs in humans that don't respond to drug treatment, like the antibiotic resistant form of Salmonella that was found in chicken this fall and infected almost 400 people. Some drugs that were originally developed to fight infections in people are now being marketed as promoting growth in farm animals. The regulations the FDA proposed today ask drug companies to voluntarily stop making that claim and require prescriptions from veterinarians. Pingree, an organic farmer who raises vegetables and livestock on her farm in Maine, said she has concerns with the loopholes in the proposed regulations.

	""Drug companies can just relabel their drugs and say they are for preventing illness in animals or choose not to comply with that requirement at all,"" Pingree said. ""I'd like to see rules with more teeth but I'm hopeful that this is just the first step toward tougher regulation.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/remembering-pearl-harbor,Remembering Pearl Harbor,2013-12-10,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,ME,Chellie Pingree,P000597,pingree.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congresswoman Chellie Pingree issued the following statement on National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, marking the 72nd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor:

	  
	Today we pause to remember the thousands of Americans who lost their lives in the attack on Pearl Harbor and the millions more who sacrificed during the war that followed. They successfully defended our country from the forces of tyranny and oppression. We owe them our thanks and gratitude.",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://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congresswoman-pingree-nominates-23-maine-students-united-states-servic-0,Congresswoman Pingree nominates 23 Maine students to United States Service Academies,2013-12-06,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,ME,Chellie Pingree,P000597,pingree.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congresswoman Chellie Pingree has announced her office's nominees to the United States Service Academiesthe U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York. To be considered for an appointment to a service academy, applicants must be nominated by an authorized nominating source, which includes Members of Congress.

	This group of students represents some of Maine's best and brightest. They have all demonstrated exceptional leadership, high academic standards, and a passion for helping others, said Pingree. Whatever happens from here, they should all be proud of themselves. We are lucky that they have chosen to offer their talents in service to the country, and it's an honor to nominate them.

	The nominees were interviewed by a panel of six on their academic record, test scores, leadership ability, involvement in extra-curricular activities, and exemplified commitment to serving their country. More information on applying for nominations is available here.

	Pingree nominated several students to more than one academy. The full list of nominations is below.

	United States Naval Academy  
	Paul Babirak, Scarborough, Grove City College  
	Andrew Benger, Cumberland, Greely HS  
	John Bennett, Chelsea, Cony HS  
	Emily Cox, Topsham, Mt. Ararat HS  
	Wesley Crawford, Yarmouth, Yarmouth HS  
	Tyler Davidson, South Berwick, U.S. Naval Academy Prep School  
	Erin Donlon, Saco, Maine Maritime Academy  
	Liam Mahoney, Yarmouth, Yarmouth HS  
	Grace Rabinowitz, Brunswick, Brunswick HS  
	Robert Runnells, Saco, Thornton Academy

	United States Military Academy  
	Andrew Benger, Cumberland, Greely HS  
	John Bennett, Chelsea, Cony HS  
	Emily Cox, Topsham, Mt. Ararat HS  
	Wesley Crawford, Yarmouth, Yarmouth HS  
	Angus Ferrell, Falmouth, Falmouth HS  
	Christian O'Connor, York, York HS  
	Kyle Robinson, York, Brandeis University  
	Robert Runnells, Saco, Thornton Academy  
	Matthew Webber, York, St. Thomas Aquinas HS  
	Corey Zinck, Wells, Valley Forge Military Academy

	United States Air Force Academy  
	John Bennett, Chelsea, Cony HS  
	Wesley Crawford, Yarmouth, Yarmouth HS  
	Joshua Engelhardt, Windsor, Erskine Academy  
	Angus Ferrell, Falmouth, Falmouth HS  
	Patrick O'Hanlon, Falmouth, Cheverus HS  
	Edward Pond, Topsham, American School in Japan  
	Robert Runnells, Saco, Thornton Academy  
	Matthew Shea, South Berwick, U.S. Military Academy Prep School  
	Jordan Susi, South Portland, South Portland HS  
	Brian Taylor, Falmouth, Falmouth HS

	United States Merchant Marine Academy  
	John Bennett, Chelsea, Cony HS  
	Wesley Crawford, Yarmouth, Yarmouth HS  
	Liam Mahoney, Yarmouth, Yarmouth HS  
	Chris Tomascak, Portland, Portland HS  
	Meredith Willard, South Portland, Cheverus HS",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congresswoman-pingree-nominates-23-maine-students-united-states-service,Congresswoman Pingree nominates 23 Maine students to United States Service Academies,2013-12-06,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,ME,Chellie Pingree,P000597,pingree.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congresswoman Chellie Pingree has announced her office's nominees to the United States Service Academiesthe U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York. To be considered for an appointment to a service academy, applicants must be nominated by an authorized nominating source, which includes Members of Congress.

	This group of students represents some of Maine's best and brightest. They have all demonstrated exceptional leadership, high academic standards, and a passion for helping others, said Pingree. Whatever happens from here, they should all be proud of themselves. We are lucky that they have chosen to offer their talents in service to the country, and it's an honor to nominate them.

	The nominees were interviewed by a panel of six on their academic record, test scores, leadership ability, involvement in extra-curricular activities, and exemplified commitment to serving their country. More information on applying for nominations is available here.

	Pingree nominated several students to more than one academy. The full list of nominations is below.

	United States Naval Academy  
	Paul Babirak, Scarborough, Grove City College  
	Andrew Benger, Cumberland, Greely HS  
	John Bennett, Chelsea, Cony HS  
	Emily Cox, Topsham, Mt. Ararat HS  
	Wesley Crawford, Yarmouth, Yarmouth HS  
	Tyler Davidson, South Berwick, U.S. Naval Academy Prep School  
	Erin Donlon, Saco, Maine Maritime Academy  
	Liam Mahoney, Yarmouth, Yarmouth HS  
	Grace Rabinowitz, Brunswick, Brunswick HS  
	Robert Runnells, Saco, Thornton Academy

	United States Military Academy  
	Andrew Benger, Cumberland, Greely HS  
	John Bennett, Chelsea, Cony HS  
	Emily Cox, Topsham, Mt. Ararat HS  
	Wesley Crawford, Yarmouth, Yarmouth HS  
	Angus Ferrell, Falmouth, Falmouth HS  
	Christian O'Connor, York, York HS  
	Kyle Robinson, York, Brandeis University  
	Robert Runnells, Saco, Thornton Academy  
	Matthew Webber, York, St. Thomas Aquinas HS  
	Corey Zinck, Wells, Valley Forge Military Academy

	United States Air Force Academy  
	John Bennett, Chelsea, Cony HS  
	Wesley Crawford, Yarmouth, Yarmouth HS  
	Joshua Engelhardt, Windsor, Erskine Academy  
	Angus Ferrell, Falmouth, Falmouth HS  
	Patrick O'Hanlon, Falmouth, Cheverus HS  
	Edward Pond, Topsham, American School in Japan  
	Robert Runnells, Saco, Thornton Academy  
	Matthew Shea, South Berwick, U.S. Military Academy Prep School  
	Jordan Susi, South Portland, South Portland HS  
	Brian Taylor, Falmouth, Falmouth HS

	United States Merchant Marine Academy  
	John Bennett, Chelsea, Cony HS  
	Wesley Crawford, Yarmouth, Yarmouth HS  
	Liam Mahoney, Yarmouth, Yarmouth HS  
	Chris Tomascak, Portland, Portland HS  
	Meredith Willard, South Portland, Cheverus HS",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/if-congress-doesnt-act-thousands-maine-families-would-lose-access,"If Congress doesn't act, thousands of Maine families would lose access to unemployment insurance at end of month",2013-12-06,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,ME,Chellie Pingree,P000597,pingree.house.gov,,,legacy,"Loss of benefits would hurt local businesses, slow economic growth

	Congresswoman Chellie Pingree warned Congressional leaders today that letting emergency unemployment benefits expire at the end of this month would slow the economic recovery and make it harder for workers looking for a job to get by. ""If Congress doesn't act, 3,000 people in Maine will lose their unemployment checks at the end of the month and nearly 9,000 more will by next summer. Not only will that be a devastating blow to families struggling to make ends meet but will have a real impact on economic growth,"" Pingree said. ""Unemployment checks don't sit in someone's bank account, they get spent on gas, groceries, clothes, home heating oil and other essentials at local businesses. According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) unemployment checks are the most effective benefit, dollar-for-dollar, to drive local economic activity.

	At issue are benefits under the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, which was passed in 2008 and signed into law by President Bush. The program extends unemployment benefits beyond the basic 26 weeks. According to a new report out this week from the White House Council of Economic Advisors, if Congress doesn't act to extend the program before December 28, 3,000 Maine workers would lose their benefits immediately and another 8,900 would lose them during the first half of nextyear. Already in Maine, the length of benefits available to unemployed workers has been cut back by over a third since 2011.

	Pingree has been a strong supporter of continuing these extended benefits. ""Face it, the economy is still weak in Maine and around the country and it often takes awhile for someone to find a job,"" Pingree said. These emergency benefits have already been scaled back as the economy slowly improves but letting the program end altogether would be like pulling the rug out from under families who are struggling to stay afloat in the middle of the winter."" According to the report out this week, failing to extend the program will cost the economy 240,000 jobs next year. The full report from the White House Council of Economic Advisors can be found here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://web.archive.org/web/20131211035024/http://www.collins.senate.gov:80/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=4a7c0eab-2f45-4dee-a487-0732fef75b25,"Senators Collins, King Announce Maine Nominees to U.S. Military Service Academies",2013-12-06,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,ME,Susan Collins,C001035,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"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-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://web.archive.org/web/20131211041035/http://www.collins.senate.gov:80/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=59705dc0-a789-436f-be18-1a8e4185c88b,"Collins, King Announce Nearly $74 Million Contract Modification for Bath Iron Works",2013-12-05,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,ME,Susan Collins,C001035,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"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/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://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/state-department-decides-review-any-changes-portland-pipeline,State Department decides to review any changes for Portland Pipeline,2013-12-04,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,ME,Chellie Pingree,P000597,pingree.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congresswoman Chellie Pingree released the following statement on news that the U.S. State Department has said it would review and consider any change of use for the Portland Pipeline, including the reversing of its flow.

	I'm glad the State Department is taking this seriously. The Portland Pipeline passes through the hearts of many Maine communities and along some of our state's most valuable natural resources, like Sebago Lake. Any change in the pipeline's useincluding the transport of Canadian tar sandsshould be reviewed closely at the federal level. While there are currently no plans to make changes, I think it's important that the State Department has said that none could go forward unchecked.

	In February of this year, Pingree wrote a letter signed by 17 House and Senate members asking the State Department to require a new permit and full environmental review before allowing the owners of the Portland Pipeline to reverse its flow to transport tar sands.",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://web.archive.org/web/20131211040322/http://www.collins.senate.gov:80/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=f506c78b-932f-427d-b41e-338cfacda0fd,"Senators Collins, King Among Bipartisan Coalition Calling for Changes to FDA Proposed Rules",2013-11-26,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,ME,Susan Collins,C001035,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC- In a letter sent today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) requested that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issue a second draft of regulations for public comment before issuing final Food Safety Modernization rules. In the letter, led by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Roy Blunt (R-MO), and signed by a bipartisan group of members of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, the coalition expressed concerns about the impact of proposed rules on farmers and businesses that an additional comment period could help alleviate.
""Despite your agency's efforts to engage with stakeholders during the rulemaking process, we remain concerned about the ambiguity surrounding many aspects of these proposed rules,"" the letter said.
The lawmakers continued, ""We believe the rules as currently proposed would result in a multitude of unintended consequences that would be severely detrimental to national, regional and local agriculture. By seeking additional input through second proposed rules for public comment before final rules, we believe that producers' concerns can be addressed and unintended consequences can be greatly mitigated.""
The FDA recently issued two proposed rules implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), a 2011 law that overhauled food safety laws to increase the safety of our food supply. The rules address preventive controls for human food and standards for the growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of produce for human consumption. As proposed, the 1,200-page rules have left food producers and processors across the country concerned about a number of issues surrounding facility compliance, environmental standards, among others.
The full text of the letter is below:
 
November 22, 2013
 The Honorable Margaret Hamburg, M.D.  Commissioner  U.S. Food and Drug Administration  10903 New Hampshire Avenue  Silver Spring, MD 20993     Dear Commissioner Hamburg: 
We appreciate the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) efforts to implement the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and the agency's willingness to seek input and guidance from producers and processors, which is of great value to our constituents. We are confident that the rulemaking process for the proposed Produce Safety Rule and the Preventive Controls Rule (Docket Nos. FDA-2011-N-0920 and FDA-2011-N-0921) will bolster the overall process of the law's implementation.
Despite your agency's efforts to engage with stakeholders during the rulemaking process, we remain concerned about the ambiguity surrounding many aspects of these proposed rules. In order to improve the law's implementation, we are writing to request that the FDA propose and submit second proposed rules for public comment before issuing the final rules.
After hearing many reservations from our farmers and businesses, we are concerned that the rules as currently proposed, and the heavy cost of complying with them, will force some producers and processors to shutter their operations. Food producers and processors in our states are concerned with a number of issues, including:
• The testing frequency required for certain agricultural waters;
• Restrictions placed on the usage of biological soil amendments;
• Compliance issues at mixed-use facilities;
• New requirements that conflict with existing conservation and environmental standards and practices of the U.S. Department of Agriculture;
• The limiting definitions used in the rule for ""farm,"" ""small business"" and ""very small business""; and
• The lack of consideration of the complexity of various farm ownership entities.
We believe the rules as currently proposed would result in a multitude of unintended consequences that would be severely detrimental to national, regional and local agriculture. By seeking additional input through second proposed rules for public comment before final rules, we believe that producers' concerns can be addressed and unintended consequences can be greatly mitigated.
We appreciate your consideration of this request and look forward to your response.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://web.archive.org/web/20131211040807/http://www.collins.senate.gov:80/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=a76e6629-57da-4236-8013-75c6712ddc1b,Senator Collins Expresses Concerns About Iranian Nuclear Agreement,2013-11-25,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,ME,Susan Collins,C001035,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Susan Collins issued the following statement today regarding the nuclear agreement with Iran:
""While I believe that an effective, verifiable diplomatic solution would be the best possible outcome for halting the Iranian pursuit of a nuclear weapon, I have several concerns about the plan as I continue to analyze it.
""The plan does not require the Iranians to suspend enrichment as required by existing U.N. Security Council resolutions. It also apparently does not require the dismantling of centrifuges and does not deal with delivery systems.
""Iran is also not required to roll back the construction of its heavy water reactor in Arak or convert this facility into a light water reactor that would be less useful for the production of the material needed for a nuclear weapon.
""Given Iran's past failures to keep its commitments, I am also deeply concerned that Iran did not agree to all of the intrusive inspections that the well-respected International Atomic Energy Agency maintains are necessary to ensure that Iran is abiding by the agreement and not performing nuclear-related work at undeclared locations.
""In the next weeks, the Senate will closely examine whether the Administration's plan to ease sanctions worth billions of dollars to the Iranians in exchange for this agreement is the right policy. At this point, I have many concerns about whether or not this plan is in America's best interests.""",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://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/50th-anniversary-kennedy-assassination,50th Anniversary of Kennedy Assassination,2013-11-22,2013,2013-11,Democrat,House,ME,Chellie Pingree,P000597,pingree.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congresswoman Chellie Pingree issued the following statement on the fiftieth anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

	""For those of us who are old enough to remember the shooting, we will be thinking about where we were when we heard President Kennedy hadbeen shot. But for everyonewhether you were alive then or nottoday is a chance to reflect on the vision that President Kennedy had for the country he loved so much. President Kennedy believed in public investment in education, research and health care. He believed in public service, especially for young people. And he believed that we all have a role in ending poverty and helping those who need help the most.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://web.archive.org/web/20131211040802/http://www.collins.senate.gov:80/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=7631ed38-450e-4db5-89d0-aaaa397bc556,"E-Newsletter: November 21, 2013",2013-11-22,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,ME,Susan Collins,C001035,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Alzheimer's Disease: An Urgent National Priority
 
Citing the devastating emotional and economic toll that Alzheimer's disease takes on more than five million Americans and their families, Senator Collins, along with Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, introduced a bipartisan Senate Resolution declaring that the goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer's by 2025 is an ""urgent national priority."" 
Consider the following:
More than five million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, more than double the number in 1980.
Based on current projections, as many as 16 million Americans over the age of 65 will have Alzheimer's disease by 2050.
Alzheimer's costs the United States more than $200 billion a year--including $142 billion in costs to Medicare and Medicaid alone--yet only about $500 million is allocated to Alzheimer's research funding annually to improve treatment and find a cure.
If nothing is done to slow or stop the disease, the Alzheimer's Association estimates that Alzheimer's will cost the United States an astonishing $20 trillion over the next 40 years. 
 
The resolution, which was introduced during Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, recognizes that dramatic increases in research funding are necessary to meet the 2025 goal and urges Congress to double the amount of funding the United States spends on Alzheimer's research in 2015, as well as develop a plan to meet the target of $2 billion a year as recommended by the experts of the federal Alzheimer's Advisory Council. 
 
 
 Watch Senator Collins' speech from the Senate floor:
       
 (Click the play button above to view the video)
 
The resolution has been endorsed by the Alzheimer's Association and USAgainstAlzheimer's, two leading national advocacy groups.
(Click the letters above to read them)
 
 
 
 
The Alzheimer's Association, Maine Chapter also applauded Senator Collins' efforts:
""The Alzheimer's Association, Maine Chapter is so appreciative of Senator Collins for her leadership on this issue. We estimate that more than 37,000 Maine families are living with this devastating disease and that, as the baby boomer generation in Maine continues to age, thousands more families will face it in the coming years,"" said Executive Director Laurie Trenholm. ""Senator Collins recognizes that this is a critical issue for the people of Maine and this country. We strongly support her resolution to increase funding for research as it represents a commitment to our vision of a world without Alzheimer's disease. There are countless volunteer advocates here in Maine who are working alongside the Senator towards this vision and we are so proud that Maine is leading this fight.""",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://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/pingree-announces-100000-farm-school-grant-kennebec-county-organization,"Pingree announces $100,000 Farm to School grant for Kennebec County organization",2013-11-19,2013,2013-11,Democrat,House,ME,Chellie Pingree,P000597,pingree.house.gov,,,legacy,"Funds will help Maine schools overcome barriers to purchasing food locally

	Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announced today that Healthy Communities of the Capital Area in Kennebec County will receive a $100,000 Farm to School grant from the USDA.

	Maine schools today want to buy more food locally, but there aren't many systems in place to help them do it easily. This investment will help fund innovative efforts to help schools overcome those barriers, said Pingree. Maine schools have shown such an incredible commitment to supporting local farmers and connecting students with the food they eatand the results have been strengthened economies and healthier school meals. I'm excited that Healthy Communities of the Capital Area has this opportunity to help strengthen and expand those impacts.

	The K-12 Eating Local Foods project aims to develop systems to better link local farms to schools. The two-year project will streamline ordering, delivery, and processing through links to existing online local food buying clubs. The project will also develop a local purchasing guide that includes contacts, product availability, sample contracts, and food safety protocol. Healthy Communities of the Capital Area is a Healthy Maine Partnership.

	Attached is a copy of the letter Pingree wrote to support the grant application.

	In a recent survey by the USDA, 85 percent of Maine schools said they participate in Farm to School efforts, which included buying locally, serving food from school gardens, and bringing farmers into the classroom. The participation rate is one of the highest in the nation. The results are at http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/census#/state/me.

	Pingree's package of reforms to the Farm Billthe Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Actincludes a provision to help schools purchase more food locally by allowing them to use a portion of their commodity funding to do so.",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://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congresswoman-chellie-pingree-announces-10-million-investment-bath,Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announces $10 million investment in Bath assisted living facility,2013-11-18,2013,2013-11,Democrat,House,ME,Chellie Pingree,P000597,pingree.house.gov,,,legacy,"Federal loans will allow Plant Home to new facility that will more than double capacity

	Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announced today that the Plant Home in Bath will be getting $10 million in federal funding to build a new, 50,000-square-foot facility to provide assisted living facilities for seniors in the Midcoast area.

	""We all age and we all get older, but not everyone can stay in the home they've lived in,"" Pingree said. ""That's why it's so important to have a place like the Plant Home, where you can get care when you need it in your community, around people you know and near your family.""

	The funding, a combination of a direct loan and a federal guaranteed loan, comes from the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development Administration.

	""USDA Rural Development has a strong commitment to supporting essential community facilities like the Plant Home because of the impact they have on our rural Maine communities. They create construction jobs, additional staff positions and, most importantly, benefit the lives of our rural residents in very meaningful ways like expanding quality, affordable senior housing,"" said Virginia Manuel, Maine USDA Rural Development State Director.

	This critical funding will assist the historic Plant Memorial Home in the construction of a 50,000-square-foot addition with 45 units of quality senior care. This more than doubles the facility's capacity to assist the area's aging population, as they currently have 37 units.

	The Plant Memorial home was constructed in 1917 and its mission is to deliver to its residents, regardless of their ability to pay, the highest quality independent elder housing and assisted living services, professionally, compassionately, and efficiently; and to support community involvement in the Midcoast Maine area.

	""This is the culmination of a community working together. We've been working on this project for five years and have had tremendous support from the entire community,"" said Don Capoldo, Executive Director of the Plant Home.

	By 2030, one in every four people in Maine will be a senior citizen, according the Census Bureau. Currently the median age in Maine is the highest of any state in the country.",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://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/administration-agrees-extend-comment-period-new-food-safety-rules,Administration agrees to extend comment period on new food safety rules,2013-11-15,2013,2013-11,Democrat,House,ME,Chellie Pingree,P000597,pingree.house.gov,,,legacy,"Comments were to end today, Congresswoman Pingree urged delay because of website problems Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said today that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has agreed to her request to extend the comment period for new proposed food safety rules that could have a big impact on small and medium sized farms. The comment period had been scheduled to close today, but FDA has agreed to extend it by a week to November 22. ""I've talked to plenty of farmers and consumers who want to weigh in on these rules, but because of problems with the FDA website, somepeople haven't been able to make their voices heard,"" Pingree said.

	Pingree, along with ten of her colleagues, wrote to the FDA this week asking for a one-week extension in the comment period. Pingree has been critical of the proposed food safety rules and how they will apply to smaller, diversified farms like the ones we have in Maine. ""One-size-fits-all regulations will put New England farmers out of business. The size of regulation must match the amount of risk, and the loss of hundreds of farms cannot be an unintended consequence of the food safety rules,"" Pingree said at an FDA hearing this summer. Go here for more information about the rules and links to submit comments.",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	
				
                
            
            
            
                
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            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://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/fema-preliminary-flood-insurance-rate-maps-cumberland-and-york-counties,FEMA Preliminary flood insurance rate maps for Cumberland and York Counties,2013-11-07,2013,2013-11,Democrat,House,ME,Chellie Pingree,P000597,pingree.house.gov,,,legacy,"As part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's nationwide program to modernize Flood Insurance Rate Maps, new Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and Flood Insurance Study (FIS) for York and Cumberland Counties were released on November 5, 2013, and are now available online. Additionally, there will be meetings with community officials and a 90-day comment/appeal period which is expected to take place over the late winter and early spring of 2014 to present and review the maps. Property owners have the right to appeal FEMA's findings concerning any changes to flood zones.  Flood hazard maps, also known as Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps, indicate whether properties are in areas of high, moderate or low flood risk. Many property owners may find that their risk of flooding is higher or lower than they thought. If the risk level for a property changes, so may the requirement to carry flood insurance. To look at the new preliminary flood maps, please click here - FEMA Map Service Center. Click here for more information on Adoption of Flood Insurance Rate Maps by Participating Communities.  
	  For information on the appeal process, go here - Criteria for Appeals of Flood Insurance Rate Maps.",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://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/uss-zumwalt-launched-bath,USS Zumwalt launched in Bath,2013-10-28,2013,2013-10,Democrat,House,ME,Chellie Pingree,P000597,pingree.house.gov,,,legacy,"Christening of destroyer delayed until spring because of shutdown  
	Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said the USS Zumwalt was launched at Bath Iron Works today. The destroyer was floated off the BIW dry dock into the Kennebec River today and was tied up at the yard while work continues to complete construction.

	""This is a big day for the men and women of BIW who have launched the most technologically advanced ship the Navy has ever built,"" Pingree said. ""And they did it on time and on budget. This is another reminder of why BIW is home to the best ship builders in the world."" The Zumwalt is the largest destroyer the Navy has ever built, and first in its class. The ship is innovative, featuring electric propulsion and a design that makes it hard to detect on radar. Even though the ship is bigger than previous generation destroyers, it operates with a much smallercrew of 178. Pingree says the christening, or naming ceremony, will take place in the spring. ""With the government shutdown it was impossible for the Navy to do what it needed to get the Zumwalt family to Bath and put on a christening ceremony,"" she said. The ceremony in the spring will feature the two daughters of Admiral Elmo ""Bud"" Zumwalt, served on destroyers in World War II and was Chief of Naval Operations under President Nixon. ""Not only did Admiral Zumwalt serve bravely in combat, but as head of the Navy he fought to allow women to serve on ships and worked to overcome racial inequality in the service,"" Pingree said. The Zumwalt is over 600' long, about 100' longer than the current class of destoryers.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/tester-pingree-question-intelligence-director-over-security-clearance,"Tester, Pingree question Intelligence Director over security clearance reversal",2013-10-24,2013,2013-10,Democrat,House,ME,Chellie Pingree,P000597,pingree.house.gov,,,legacy,"Lawmakers vow to continue fighting to protect survivors of sexual assault 

	Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) are demanding that the U.S. Director of National Intelligence once again eliminate a requirement that forces survivors of sexual assault in the military to declare whether they sought counseling for sexual trauma when applying for a security clearance. Tester and Pingree successfully overturned the policy in April after hearing from veterans and service members from Montana and Maine, but the government reversed course in the final version of the security clearance questionnaire released this summer. Before the change, job applicants seeking a security clearance had to list whether they had received mental health counseling as a result of a sexual assault, and if so, allow an investigator full access to their health records. Veterans and veterans' advocacy groups told Tester and Pingree the policy discouraged qualified service members from applying for important national security positions and discouraged them from getting the counseling they need. The Defense Department estimates that there may have been as many as 26,000 instances of unwanted sexual contact in 2012, with the vast majority of cases reported by women. We strongly urge you to reconsider this matter and reinstitute the explicit exemption for survivors of sexual assault, Tester and Pingree told Intelligence Director James Clapper. As you recognized in April, we need to do everything we can to support survivors of sexual assault  not keep them from getting the care they need or jeopardizing their ability to provide for themselves and their families. Service Women's Action Network (SWAN) is grateful to Senator Tester and Congresswoman Pingree for their dedication to ensuring military sexual assault survivors' careers are not stunted or adversely affected because they sought counseling to cope with the assault, said Anu Bhagwati, SWAN executive director and former Marine Corps captain. SWAN has already heard from service members that are confused by the recently removed exemption for military sexual assault survivors and are now hesitant to seek help. We urge Director Clapper to reinstate the explicit exemption for sexual assault survivors. Tester and Pingree have been in contact with Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and other officials about the issue over the last two years. The officials responded by altering the security clearance questionnaire to better handle sensitive information, but Tester and Pingree sought a complete policy change. There are multiple forms of counseling that do not impede an applicant from securing a security clearance, including family counseling and counseling for combat stress.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congresswoman-pingree-votes-infrastructure-bill,Congresswoman Pingree votes for infrastructure bill,2013-10-23,2013,2013-10,Democrat,House,ME,Chellie Pingree,P000597,pingree.house.gov,,,legacy,"Pushed for provisions that would help small harbors get funding The US House passed a bipartisan bill tonight that allows the Army Corps of Engineers to develop dredging plans around the country. Congresswoman Chellie Pingree pushed for provisions that were included in the bill that will make it easier to get dredging approved for small harbors like those along the Maine Coast. ""Small harbors have significant dredging needs keep them open for fishermen and recreation boaters and they just haven't gotten the funding they need for a long time. By putting more money into dredging overall and setting aside money specifically for small harbors it will be more likely that these harbors get the attention they need,"" Pingree said. Pingree had pushed for provisions that would increase funding levels for dredging and specifically to set aside a portion of that funding for use in small harbors. ""Harbors like Yarmouth and Wells need dredging just as bigger harbor like Boston or New York,"" Pingree said. ""But the current formula has meant that small harbors just never make the cut. This bill will change that.""

	The bill, H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2013, passed the House by a vote of 417-3. Pingree voted for the bill. Pingree also fought to include a provision that deauthorizes a disused navigation channel in Rockland Harbor. The location of the channel was making it difficult for marine business that supplies the local fishing industry to keep a barge tied to a pier that is used to load lobster bait. The channel couldn't be discontinued without Congressional action. The bill authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to carry out its missions to develop, maintain, and support the Nation's vital port and waterways infrastructure needs, and support effective and targeted flood protection and environmental restoration needs. Historically, Congress has passed such legislation every two years to provide clear direction to the Administration and the Corps, but no bill has been signed into law since 2007.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z