WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 -- Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-New Mexico, issued the following news release: * * * Heinrich, Lujan Raise Alarm Over Trump Admin Pushing Illegal Funding Cuts to NIH & Derailing Lifesaving Research New Mexico receives $125 million in NIH funding that supports over 1,400 jobs and generates nearly $290 million in economic activity Heinrich and Lujan: "The administration's new policy means that research will come to a halt, sick kids may not get the treatment they need, and clinica  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued the following news release: * * * ICE investigation leads to 8 criminal arrests and charges for Trinitarios gang members BOSTON -- An investigation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement led to federal charges unsealed against two dozen leaders, members and associates of the Trinitarios gang -- a violent transnational criminal organization. An ICE Homeland Security Investigati  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona, issued the following news release: * * * Kelly Tours Hanwha Philly Shipyard to Hear from Workers, Highlights Need to Pass Ships for America Act to Lower Costs & Strengthen National Security Kelly introduced the bill with bipartisan, bicameral support and has the support of over 70 industry leaders Today, U.S. Navy veteran and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy alumnus Arizona Senator Mark Kelly toured Hanwha Philly Shipyard, a commercial shipyard  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 -- Sen. Angus S. King Jr., I-Maine, issued the following news release: * * * King Scorns "Thoughtful" Cuts at VA, Impacting Veterans' Benefits WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) scorned the recent firing of one thousands employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) across throughout the country as having a detrimental impact on veterans and their ability to access their earned benefits. In a hearing of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee (S  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 -- Sen. Angus S. King Jr., I-Maine, issued the following news release: * * * King Working to Protect Maine's Coastal Ecosystem WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, is introducing legislation to help improve conditions for kelp forest and marine life. The Help Our Kelp Act -- which also has a companion bill in the House of Representatives -- would invest federal resources to address ongoing cri  more

PORTLAND, Maine, Feb. 19 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine issued the following news release: * * * Maine Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison after Methamphetamine Recovered from Safe in Biddeford Apartment Tyrone Fleurimont has 3 prior criminal convictions in Maine and Massachusetts PORTLAND, Maine: A Biddeford man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Wa  more

AUGUSTA, Maine, Feb. 20 -- The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has amended its rules regarding late payment charges, interest rates on customer deposits, and returned check fees (Chapter 870) to comply with recent legislation. The key change prohibits transmission and distribution utilities from charging late fees to low-income customers. This amendment implements requirements outlined in Resolve 2023, Chapter 145, which directs the PUC to establish such protections. The amended rule fo  more

AUGUSTA, Maine, Feb. 20 -- The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has ordered Versant Power to immediately pay outstanding invoices to Overland Consulting, the firm conducting a commission-initiated audit of Versant's operations and management practices. The order, issued February 19, 2025, follows Versant's repeated delays in payment and questions raised by the company regarding the audit's cost. The PUC initiated the audit in May 2024 under 35-A M.R.S. Sec. 113, retaining Overland Consul  more

AUGUSTA, Maine, Feb. 20 -- The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has revoked the renewable energy certification for Nexamp, Inc.'s Auburn Renewables Solar Facility. The 4.99 MW solar facility, located in Auburn, Maine, was initially certified as a Class I and Class IA renewable resource in a May 22, 2024, order. Nexamp filed a petition on November 20, 2024, requesting the rescission of the certification. In its petition, Nexamp stated that it has never marketed or sold Maine renewable ene  more

AUGUSTA, Maine, Feb. 20 -- The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has revoked the renewable energy certification for Nautilus Solar Energy, LLC's Sanford Solar Facility. The 4.875 MW solar facility, located in Sanford, Maine, was initially certified as a Class I and Class IA renewable resource in a September 19, 2024, order. Nautilus Solar filed a petition on December 10, 2024, requesting the rescission of the certification. In its petition, Nautilus Solar stated that the Sanford facility   more

AUGUSTA, Maine, Feb. 20 -- The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has revoked the renewable energy certification for Nautilus Solar Energy, LLC's Sidney Solar Facility. The 1.5 MW solar facility, located in Sidney, Maine, was initially certified as a Class I and Class IA renewable resource in a September 19, 2024, order. Nautilus Solar filed a petition on December 10, 2024, requesting the rescission of the certification. In its petition, Nautilus Solar stated that the Sidney facility has n  more

AUGUSTA, Maine, Feb. 20 -- Central Maine Power (CMP) has received approval from the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to refund $3.5 million to its large class standard offer customers. The refund comes from an overcollection in the large class standard offer retainage account, which totaled $7,046,114 as of September 30, 2024. This surplus has accumulated primarily due to differences between estimated and actual energy and capacity costs used in setting the large class standard offer pric  more

AUGUSTA, Maine, Feb. 20 -- Versant Power has received approval from the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to refund $3,136,857.80 to its large class standard offer customers in the Bangor Hydro District. The refund originates from a surplus in the large class standard offer retainage and over/under accounts, which reached $3,636,858 as of September 30, 2024. This surplus has accumulated primarily due to discrepancies between estimated and actual energy and capacity costs used in determinin  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * Padilla Introduces Bill to Standardize Cost-of-Living Adjustment for Retired Federal Employees WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) introduced the Equal COLA Act to ensure cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) are applied equally to all federal retirees. The legislation comes as President Trump and Elon Musk conduct a massive purge of longtime federal employees. The Social  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 -- The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee released the following written testimony by Dan Yates, executive director of the Ground Water Protection Council, from a Feb. 12, 2025, hearing entitled "Advancing Carbon Capture, Utilization and Sequestration Technologies and Ensuring Effective Implementation of the USE IT Act." USE IT Act is the Utilizing Significant Emissions With Innovative Technologies Act. * * * Thank you, Madame Chairman Capito, Ranking Member Whit  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 -- Sen. Susan M. Collins, R-Maine, issued the following news release: * * * Senator Collins' Statement on Acadia National Park Hiring Freeze Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins issued the following statement regarding the recently announced hiring freeze at Acadia National Park: "In response to conversations with officials from Friends of Acadia and the National Parks Conservation Association, I discussed with Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum the problems   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- Sen. Susan M. Collins, R-Maine, issued the following news release: * * * Senator Collins, Bipartisan Group Introduce Bill to Help Beauty Professionals Identify and Respond to Domestic Violence Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), John Boozman (R-AR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced the bipartisan Supporting the Abused by Learning Options to Navigate Survivor (SALO  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Sens. Markey, Merkley and Reps. Beyer, Garamendi Urge Secretary Rubio to Replace Nuclear Arms Treaty with Russia Letter Text (PDF) Washington (February 19, 2025) - Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) with Congressmen Don Beyer (VA-08) and John Garamendi (CA-08), co-chairs of the bicameral Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group, today wrote to Secretary of State Marc  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Urge President Trump to Reject Republican Budget Raising Costs for Families More than 30 Democratic senators demand Trump reject GOP budget proposals "Republican budget plans do not focus on lowering costs, and in fact will raise costs for American families by forcing them to pay more for groceries, health care, education, and caregiving." Washington D.C.-- U.S. Senators Ron   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Urge Trump to Reject Republican Budget Raising Costs for Families More than 30 Democratic senators demand Trump reject GOP budget proposals "Republican budget plans do not focus on lowering costs, and in fact will raise costs for American families by forcing them to pay more for groceries, health care, education, and caregiving." Washington D.C.-- U.S. Senators Ron Wyden  more