Press Releases
Senator Whitehouse and Governor McKee Push for Robust Federal Investment in Child Care Programs and Workforce
Providence, RI - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Governor Dan McKee today joined with child care providers from the Meeting Street School and Rhode Island child care advocates to rally support for comprehensive federal child care legislation that would boost Rhode Island's investment in child care affordability, access, and workforce retention. "Increasing access to affordable child care would help keep the youngest Rhode Islanders safe and on track for success while strengthening our econo… Continue Reading
03.01.23
Reed & Whitehouse Support Pro-Union Protect Workers’ Right to Organize (PRO) Act
WASHINGTON, DC - In an effort to help workers in Rhode Island and nationwide, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are renewing their push to pass the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, comprehensive labor legislation to protect workers' right to stand together and bargain for fairer wages, better benefits, and safer workplaces. Unions give workers a stronger voice through collective bargaining and are critical to growing the middle-class now a… Continue Reading
02.28.23
Whitehouse Leads Reintroduction of Bill to Honor Nation’s First Black Military Unit with Congressional Gold Medal
Washington, DC - On the final day of Black History Month, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) today led the reintroduction of bipartisan legislation to posthumously award America's first Black military unit with the Congressional Gold Medal. The First Rhode Island Regiment Congressional Gold Medal Act aims to commemorate the legacy of this Revolutionary War unit by presenting the Congressional Gold Medal in its honor to the Rhode … Continue Reading
02.28.23
Whitehouse Introduces Legislation to Create Parity Between Captured Carbon Utilization and Sequestration
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) today introduced the Captured Carbon Utilization Parity Act, a bill intended to create parity between the credit value for utilization and sequestration in the 45Q carbon capture tax credit. "While we've made progress on lowering emissions with the Inflation Reduction Act, the world is on track to well overshoot the climate goals of the Paris Agreement. We are going to need robust investment in both carbon util… Continue Reading
02.27.23
Windows of Opportunity: Reed & Whitehouse Get Clear View of Providence Preservation Society’s Specialized Workforce Development Program
PROVIDENCE, RI - Rhode Island is home to some of the oldest building stock in the country, including 45 National Historic Landmarks and thousands of other buildings in service as schools, businesses, homes, and houses of worship. In Providence alone, almost 90 percent of the buildings are older than 50 years, each requiring specialized care to remain in working order. Historic window restoration, one of several historic trades specific to older buildings, is key to keeping the state's architect… Continue Reading
02.22.23
As SCOTUS Ducks Ethics Questions, Whitehouse Calls for Update on Personal Hospitality Rules for Federal Judges
Washington, DC - With the Supreme Court ducking questions about a series of ethical scandals, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Courts Subcommittee, today shone a spotlight on the ethics and transparency rules with which all federal judges must comply. In a new letter to the Administrative Office of the Courts, the agency within the judicial branch that issues ethical guidance, Whitehouse requested an update on pending questions related to the personal hos… Continue Reading
02.20.23
Blumenthal & Whitehouse Travel to Germany to Observe Ukrainian Soldiers Training on New Weapon Systems
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) visited the U.S. Army Garrison in Grafenwöhr, Germany to observe Ukrainian servicemembers receiving combined arms training on equipment provided by the U.S. and European allies. Blumenthal and Whitehouse also met with American soldiers from Connecticut and Rhode Island who are stationed in Germany and who have been training Ukraine's servicemembers on ne… Continue Reading
02.18.23
Reed & Whitehouse Urge Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to Allow Independent Media to Operate
WASHINGTON, DC -- Citing the critical role that a free and independent press plays in a functioning democracy, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse today expressed concern over the Cambodian government's revocation of the operating license of the Cambodian Center for Independent Media, the parent organization of Voice of Democracy. The U.S. Senators urged Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to reconsider his decision and allow independent media, as enshrined in Cambodia's Constitution. … Continue Reading
02.17.23
Whitehouse, Cicilline Reintroduce DISCLOSE Act to End Corrupting Influence of Dark Money in American Democracy
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Representative David Cicilline (D-RI) today led 162 colleagues in both houses of Congress in introducing the DISCLOSE Act, legislation to end the scourge of dark money, shine a bright light of transparency on politics, and make government more accountable to the will of voters. "A toxic flood of dark money has given billionaires and special interests a powerful way to rig the system secretly in their favor - dark money even enabled the… Continue Reading
02.17.23
Whitehouse and Graham Lead Congressional Delegation to Munich Security Conference
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) are leading a bipartisan, bicameral congressional delegation at this weekend's Munich Security Conference. "It's an honor to carry on the bipartisan tradition of CODEL McCain with Senator Graham," said Whitehouse. "We are in Munich to express America's unwavering bipartisan support for Ukrainian victory, and to do our part to uphold the transatlantic institutions that have strongly benefitted the United States… Continue Reading
02.17.23
RI Fire Departments Net $4.5M to Enhance Public Safety
WASHINGTON, DC - Three fire departments in Rhode Island have been awarded new federal grants to hire additional firefighters, acquire updated communications equipment, and increase public safety in the latest round of funding made available through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) programs. Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen David Cicilline and Seth Magaziner announced $4,567,585.84 in new… Continue Reading
02.16.23
Whitehouse, Colleagues Urge Financial Action Task Force to Bolster Transparency in Latest Beneficial Ownership Proposal
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, today released a bipartisan letter with 11 of his Senate colleagues to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the intergovernmental body that sets international anti-money laundering standards, calling on FATF to improve their latest beneficial ownership transparency proposal governing trusts and similar legal arrangements. "The international ord… Continue Reading
02.14.23
After Record Year for Big Oil, Whitehouse Revamps Bill to Claw Back Windfall Profits and Send Relief to the American Public
Washington, D.C. - As the five largest publicly traded oil companies boast to Wall Street about their record $264.3 billion haul in 2022, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today led his Democratic colleagues in reintroducing the Big Oil Windfall Profits Tax Act to crack down on profiteering by Big Oil and return the industry's excessive gains to working people. "Big Oil's obscene profits last year are the spoils of war and cartel pricing. Clawing back Big Oil's windfall and returning it t… Continue Reading
02.09.23
Whitehouse & Doggett Introduce No Tax Breaks for Outsourcing Act
Washington, DC - Today, after three weeks of the Treasury Department undertaking "extraordinary measures" to uphold the full faith and credit of the United States, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), chair of the Senate Budget Committee, and Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) introduced the No Tax Breaks for Outsourcing Act. Were it not for the Trump tax law, the U.S. would not have hit the debt limit so soon. By ending the Trump law's incentives for jobs and profits overseas, this bill would joi… Continue Reading
02.09.23
Sens. Whitehouse and Blumenthal and Reps. Johnson, Nadler, Quigley, and Cicilline Introduce New Version of Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, & Transparency Act
Washington, DC - With the Supreme Court facing a series of ethics scandals, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Representatives Hank Johnson (D-GA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Mike Quigley (D-IL), and David Cicilline (D-RI) today reintroduced the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency (SCERT) Act to bring basic transparency and accountability standards to the Supreme Court. The legislation would create a much-needed process for investigating misconduct… Continue Reading
02.07.23
Whitehouse Applauds Biden Focus on Climate and Tax Fairness in 2023 State of the Union
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, tonight issued the following statement on President Biden's 2023 State of the Union address: "President Biden gave an optimistic look at the possibilities for our nation. The President touted the Inflation Reduction Act, which included the most expansive climate legislation package in history. To tackle the climate crisis while we still have time, we must build on our momentum. I am also pleased… Continue Reading
02.06.23
Gulf War Veteran, Vance Scullin of Woonsocket, to Join Whitehouse for State of the Union
Army and Rhode Island National Guard veteran Vance Scullin tomorrow evening will join President Biden's State of the Union address as the guest of U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. Mr. Scullin, a resident of Woonsocket, is newly eligible for medical benefits thanks to the passage of the Honoring Our PACT Act, which President Biden signed into law in August. "It is a privilege to be joined by Mr. Scullin for President Biden's State of the Union address. Our state and our country are deeply g… Continue Reading
02.02.23
Whitehouse Urges SCOTUS to Reject Challenges to Biden Student Loan Program, Deliver Relief for Over 63k Rhode Islanders
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today called on the Supreme Court to reject challenges to President Biden's student loan debt relief program and allow much-needed relief to flow to tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders and their families. "Student debt is an anchor holding down borrowers and their families, and the President's debt relief program would free up thousands of Rhode Islanders to buy homes, start families, and invest in their own children's education," said W… Continue Reading
01.30.23
RIPTA Gets $5M Action Plan Grant to Develop a Roadmap for Safety Improvements
PROVIDENCE, RI - In an effort to improve traffic safety and prevent roadway accidents, Rhode Island's Congressional delegation and Governor Dan McKee today announced a new $5 million federal Action Plan Grant for the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) under the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program. U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressman David Cicilline helped create the SS4A program through the Bipartisan Infrastructure law and made $5 billion … Continue Reading
01.27.23
Whitehouse Statement on Tyre Nichols Video
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today issued the following statement after the release of surveillance and body-camera footage detailing the tragic incident involving Tyre Nichols and police in Memphis, Tennessee: "The video showing the violence that led to the death of Tyre Nichols is agonizing to watch, and our nation grieves tonight for the Nichols family. Local authorities took swift action to hold the officers involved accountable, and I urge peaceful protest as … Continue Reading
