WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Sen. Angus S. King Jr., I-Maine, issued the following news release: * * * "Just Follow the Science," King Gains Agreement from Army Corps of Engineers Nominee in Discussion of Climate Resiliency WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, in a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), U.S. Senator Angus King questioned an administration nominee on his willingness to follow the science in the face of increasingly occurring and violent weather events. In his questioning of Mr.   more

WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, issued the following news release: * * * 'This Bill Will Starve Families': In Agriculture Committee Markup, Pingree Slams GOP for Gutting Anti-Hunger Programs Last night in the House Agriculture Committee markup of the partisan reconciliation bill, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) spoke out against Republicans' proposal to slash $300 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In her opening remarks, Pingree qu  more

WASHINGTON, May 14 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection issued the following news release: * * * April arrests by Maine Border Patrol hit 24-year peak HOULTON, Maine -- The number of April arrests by the United States Border Patrol (USBP) in Maine is the highest in a single month in nearly 24 years. Altogether, 113 illegal aliens were arrested from 16 countries of origin. This increase in apprehensions is not the result of more people illegally crossing th  more

WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Sen. Michael F. Bennet, D-Colorado, issued the following news release: * * * Bennet, Colleagues Condemn $400 Million Airplane Gift to President Trump from Qatar Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Chris Coons (D-Del.), alongside 26 Senate colleagues, introduced a resolution condemning President Donald Trump's plans to accept a luxury airplane gift, valued at $400 million, from the government of Qatar. President Trump r  more

WASHINGTON, May 14 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RS22753) on March 18, 2025, entitled "Child Support Services Annual User Fee: In Brief" by social policy specialist Jessica Tollestrup. Here are excerpts: * * * Contents Background ... 1 Annual CSS User Fee ... 3 Overview of Requirements ... 3 Policy Debate ... 4 Implementation Prior to Fee Increase ... 5 Tables Table 1. Method by Which CSS Annual User Fee Is Imposed ... 6 Contact  more

WASHINGTON, May 15 -- The U.S. Department of Defense issued the following news: * * * Contracts for May 14, 2025 NAVY General Dynamics, Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, is being awarded a $216,493,753 cost-plus-award-fee modification against a previously awarded contract (N00024-24-C-4212), DDG-51 Planning Yard Services. Work will be performed in Bath, Maine, and is expected to be completed by July 31, 2026. Fiscal 2025 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $398,542 (<1%) will be obli  more

WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: * * * Crapo, Risch Send Letter Backing President Trump's Call for Full Dismantlement of Iran's Nuclear Program Washington, D.C.-- U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in sending a letter to President Donald Trump regarding the Administration's ongoing negotiations with Iran. The letter calls on the Trump Administration to secure a  more

WASHINGTON, May 14 -- The Decommissioning Plant Coalition (DPC) has voiced its support for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff's interim enforcement policy regarding general licensees adopting changes from Certificate of Compliance (C of C) holders. However, the coalition is urging the agency to go further and revise the underlying regulations. In a letter to the NRC, Wayne A. Norton, CEO of Maine Yankee and Executive Spokesperson for the DPC, stated, "It is imperative that the staff   more

WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Sen. John Hoeven, R-North Dakota, issued the following news release: * * * Hoeven Pays Tribute to Nation's Law Enforcement Officers on Senate Floor Senate Passes Hoeven-Backed Resolution Designating National Police Week WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven (R-N.D.) delivered remarks on the Senate floor to pay tribute to the nation's law enforcement officers. Hoeven delivered the remarks after the Senate unanimously passed a resolution he introduced with Senators Chuck Gras  more

WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: * * * Kennedy, Ricketts, colleagues applaud President Trump's push to dismantle Iran's nuclear program WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) and 50 Republican colleagues in sending a letter to President Donald Trump applauding the president's efforts to secure a deal with Iran that dismantles its nuclear program. Key excerpts of the letter are below: "During y  more

WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Sen. Angus S. King Jr., I-Maine, issued the following news release: * * * King Lashes Out at Administration's Decision to Cut Critical Research Budgets WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), in a hearing of the Energy and Natural Resource (ENR) Committee, pressed Connor Prochaska, nominee to serve as the Director of Advanced Research Projects Agency within the Department of Energy, and Dr. Ned Mamula to serve as the Director of U.S. Geological Survey within   more

AUGUSTA, Maine, May 15 -- The Maine Public Utilities Commission issued the following news release on May 14, 2025: * * * Maine Public Utilities Commission Initiates Inquiry on the Future of Natural Gas and State Decarbonization Goals Commission seeks input on aligning natural gas utility planning with Maine's climate commitments Hallowell, Maine- The Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) has initiated an inquiry to explore the implications of the state's decarbonization goals for natural   more

AUGUSTA, Maine, May 15 -- The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has provisionally approved a plan by Summit Natural Gas of Maine (Summit) to refund $36,473 to ratepayers. These funds were returned to Summit by the Efficiency Maine Trust (Trust). The funds in question were originally collected from ratepayers to support natural gas conservation programs. The Efficiency Maine Trust Act authorizes these programs and the collection of funds. State law dictates that unspent funds must be retur  more

AUGUSTA, Maine, May 15 -- The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has dismissed a complaint filed by ten customers against the Lisbon Water Department (LWD) regarding substandard water service, but has ordered the utility to make a series of quarterly compliance filings. The PUC's order, issued on May 14, 2025, acknowledges the water quality issues raised by the complainants, including reports of odor, discoloration, damage to plumbing fixtures, and elevated levels of arsenic and PFAS. The   more

WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: * * * Maryland, Virginia Senators Urge House to Pass D.C. Budget Fix Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen, Angela Alsobrooks (both D-Md.), Mark Warner, and Tim Kaine (both D-Va.) urged House Republican leadership to take up and pass the bipartisan legislation, passed previously by the Senate, to allow the District of Columbia to use its own local funding. Today marks two months since that bill, author  more

WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, issued the following news release: * * * Murray, Van Hollen, Tillis, Murkowski Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Letter Calling on DHS to Reinstate Disaster Mitigation Program Critical to Local Communities Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) led a bipartisan, bicameral letter with over 80 of their colleagues urging Department of Homeland Security   more

WASHINGTON, May 15 -- Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following news release on May 14, 2025: * * * Murray, Van Hollen, Tillis, Murkowski Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Letter Calling on DHS to Reinstate Disaster Mitigation Program Critical to Local Communities Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) led a bipartisan, bicameral letter with   more

WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Ocean conservation organization Oceana has called on the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to disapprove a proposed amendment to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan concerning Atlantic cod stocks. In a strongly worded letter submitted to the agency, Oceana argues that the process used to develop Amendment 25 by the New England Fishery Management Council was "fundamentally flawed" and failed to comply with key environmental laws. The proposed amendment  more

WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * Padilla Cosponsors Resolution Condemning $400 Million Airplane Gift to Trump From Qatar, Reiterating Constitutional Ban on Such Gifts WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined 26 other Senators in introducing a resolution condemning President Trump's acceptance of a luxury airplane gift, valued at $400 million, from the government of Qatar. According to reports, Trump i  more

WASHINGTON, May 15 -- Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-California, ranking member of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, issued the following news release on May 14, 2025: * * * Science Committee Democrats Hold Roundtable After Trump Administration Cancels NOAA's Billion Dollar Disaster Report (Washington, DC) - Today, Democratic Members of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology hosted a roundtable to discuss the Trump administration's cancellation of the National Oceanic and  more

WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: * * * Senate passes Kennedy-backed National Police Week resolution WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) and 78 bipartisan senators in introducing a resolution to designate the week of May 11 through May 17, 2025, as National Police Week. The Senate unanimously adopted the resolution. "One of the  more

WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Sen. Edward J. Markey, D-Massachusetts, issued the following news release: * * * Senate Passes Markey, Collins Resolution Designating April "Community College Month" Resolution Text (PDF) Washington (May 13, 2025) - Last week, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution led by Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), members of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, designating April as "Community College Month." The   more

WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: * * * Senate Republicans Block Schatz Resolution Condemning Qatar's $400 Million Gift To Trump WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, yesterday called for unanimous consent on the Senate floor to adopt a resolution authored by Schatz and U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) that would condemn a luxury airplane gift, valued at $400 million, Preside  more

WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Senate Unanimously Passes Grassley-Durbin Resolution Recognizing National Police Week WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and 79 bipartisan senators welcomed the Senate's unanimous passage of their resolution designating May 12 through 17 as National Police Week. The National Police Week resolution reiterates the Senate's un  more

WASHINGTON, May 15 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following news release on May 14, 2025: * * * Senate Unanimously Passes Grassley-Durbin Resolution Recognizing National Police Week Bipartisan resolution reiterates Senate support for law enforcement, honors 234 fallen officers WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and 79 bipartisan senators welcomed the Senate'  more

WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Sen. Susan M. Collins, R-Maine, issued the following news release: * * * Senators Collins, Cortez Masto Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect and Expand Ground Ambulance Services Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced the bipartisan Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act, which would ensure that all communities, particularly those in rural and underser  more

WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Sen. Susan M. Collins, R-Maine, issued the following news release: * * * Senators Collins, King Urge OPM to Process Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Civilian Hires to Address Shipyard Workforce Needs and Support U.S. National Security Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Angus King, and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), are urging the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to process nearly 150 personnel that have received initial job offers from Portsmouth Naval Shipyard fo  more

WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Sen. Angus S. King Jr., I-Maine, issued the following news release: * * * Senators Collins, King Urge OPM to Process Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Civilian Hires to Address Shipyard Workforce Needs and Support U.S. National Security WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Angus King, and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), are urging the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to process nearly 150 personnel that have received initial job offers from Portsmouth Naval Shipyard f  more

WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: * * * Van Hollen, Alsobrooks, Colleagues Introduce Resolution Condemning Trump's Acceptance of Luxury Plane from Qatar Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-Md.) joined Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) in introducing a resolution in the Senate condemning President Trump's announcement that he will accept a luxury airplane, valued at $400 millionfr  more

WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: * * * Van Hollen, Tillis, Murray, Murkowski Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Letter Calling on DHS to Reinstate Disaster Mitigation Program Critical to Local Communities Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) led a bipartisan, bicameral letter with over 80 of their colleagues urging Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secre  more

WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: * * * Welch Honors Vermont Law Enforcement During National Police Week WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and 78 bipartisan senators this week in welcoming the Senate's unanimous passage of their resolution designating May 12 through 17 as Nati  more