WASHINGTON, April 3 -- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release on April 2: Following calls from Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and their colleagues, the U.S. Treasury Department has announced that Social Security recipients will automatically receive direct cash assistance included in the CARES Act without having to file tax returns. Yesterday, the Senators raised alarms over guidance that the  more

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, March 30 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: As jobless claims soar in Rhode Island and nationwide due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, U.S. Senator Jack Reed says the new coronavirus economic stabilization law provides about $300 billion for cash payments and $260 billion for enhanced unemployment assistance and expands benefits so jobless Americans receive an extra $600 a week for up to four months in an attempt to repla  more

WASHINGTON, April 3 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report (GAO-20-104) is entitled "DOD Utilities Privatization: Improved Data Collection and Lessons Learned Archive Could Help Reduce Time to Award Contracts". The report was sent to Sen. James M. Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, chairman, Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Rep. Adam Smith, D-Washington, chairman, and Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, ranking member of the House Armed Serv  more

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, April 3 -- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: * * * - Letter follows senators' successful efforts to urge Trump Administration to reverse course, ensure seniors receive direct payments automatically using existing records and data & without filing new forms * * * After successfully winning a major victory for seniors and retirees who rely on Social Security, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse are seeking to do the  more

WASHINGTON, March 28 -- Rep. David Cicilline, D-Rhode Island, issued the following statement: * * * - Third COVID-19 relief package will benefit Rhode Island with new resources * * * U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) voted to send a $2.2 trillion stimulus bill to the President. The bill provides substantial relief for Rhode Islanders impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. "This is a public health crisis unlike any we have seen before. Since Day One, Democrats have focused on saving li  more

WASHINGTON, March 28 -- Rep. David Cicilline, D-Rhode Island, issued the following remarks: Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01) spoke on the House floor in support of the third coronavirus emergency relief package. Video of Cicilline's remarks can be accessed by clicking the image below and the text is embedded below: Mr. Speaker, this is a public health crisis unlike any other in modern history. Since day one of this pandemic, House Democra  more

WASHINGTON, March 28 -- Rep. Jim Langevin, D-Rhode Island, issued the following statement on March 27: Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) voted in favor of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a bipartisan relief package to support working families, bolster health care systems, assist state and local governments, and stabilize the nation's economy as communities grapple with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) public health crisis. The package, which will provide more than   more

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, March 31 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shuts down schools and college campuses and impacts families and communities nationwide, U.S. Senator Jack Reed announced over $115 million in federal funding to help students, schools, and teachers across Rhode Island. Senator Reed says more federal support is needed, but this federal funding should be a down payment toward helping K-12 schools   more

WASHINGTON, April 2 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release on April 1: * * * - As coronavirus pandemic spreads, Trump refuses to reopen Affordable Care Act enrollment window for uninsured and under-insured, potentially blocking millions of Americans from access life-saving health coverage * * * As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic spreads and more Americans are struggling to make ends meet, the Trump Administration is declining to throw them a lifeline b  more

WASHINGTON, April 2 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: * * * - 28 U.S. Senators want $900 million for emergency crisis utility assistance distributed quickly to protect vulnerable Americans and demand Trump Administration also fully refund and release $37 million it previously diverted from the program * * * U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) led a letter urging the Trump Administration to quickly release $900 million in Low Income Home  more

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, April 1 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: * * * - Bill includes $150 million for State Veterans Homes & provides authority for VA to provide state-run veterans homes with PPE and medical supplies * * * In an effort to ensure the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is prepared to deal with a surge in novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) says the newly passed Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Se  more

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, April 4 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release on April 3: * * * - Sen. Reed advocated for RI's request to have federal government cover costs of RI National Guard's COVID-19 response * * * After the Trump Administration granted Governor Gina M. Raimondo's request to authorize the use of National Guard members for Rhode Island under Title 32, United States Code, section 502(f), to perform humanitarian missions across the state during th  more

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, April 3 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: * * * - Sen. Reed worried that Trump's Labor Dept. is not placing enough emphasis on speeding aid to people when they need it most * * * As record numbers of Americans are out of work and filing for unemployment assistance, U.S. Senator Jack Reed is urging the Trump Administration to swiftly issue guidance to states and help get funds out the door and into the hands of those eligible for a  more

WASHINGTON, April 1 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release on March 31: * * * - Sen. Reed thanks White House for extending 'wind-down' window & preventing Liberian workers in America from falling into bureaucratic gap * * * After the Trump Administration extended the "wind-down" period of Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for qualified people from Liberia by several months to January 2021, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) thanked President Trump. The Trump Admini  more

WASHINGTON, April 4 -- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release on April 3: * * * - Strong demand expected for new SBA loan forgiveness programs * * * As the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) begins accepting applications for a new "Payroll Protection" loan forgiveness program, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse is reminding small business owners that his constituent services team is available to help Rhode Islanders navigate the application process. "R  more

WASHINGTON, March 31 -- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: Following the signing into law of a $2.2-trillion economic relief package to help Americans through the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse along with Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline are reminding Rhode Islanders that their respective offices stand ready to help constituents access federal programs. "The massive $2.2-trillion relief package was designed  more

WASHINGTON, April 2 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release on April 1: * * * - 41 U.S. Senators send letter urging Trump Admin to remove needless barriers that could prevent eligible senior citizens and others from getting direct payments from CARES Act * * * In an effort to help retirees and seniors living on fixed incomes access the direct payments they are eligible for under the new $2.2 trillion emergency coronavirus relief law, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and S  more

WASHINGTON, April 2 -- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release on April 1: * * * - 41 U.S. Senators send letter urging Trump Admin to remove needless barriers that could prevent eligible senior citizens and others from getting direct payments from CARES Act - Trump Administration should not try to bury seniors in paperwork in order to access the benefits they are entitled to and that IRS & Social Security Administration should already have access to the requ  more

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, April 4 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release on April 3: * * * - Letter follows senators' successful efforts to urge Trump Administration to reverse course, ensure seniors receive direct payments automatically using existing records and data & without filing new forms * * * After successfully winning a major victory for seniors and retirees who rely on Social Security, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse are seeking to do t  more

WASHINGTON, April 4 -- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) wrote Glenn Fine, the newly appointed head of the Pandemic Response Accountability Commission, seeking his public commitment to "explicitly [reject] President Trump's efforts to block crucial information from reaching Congress and the American people." Congress included several oversight measures in the  more