Press Releases
RI to Receive Over $3.7 Million in Federal Funds to Fix Storm-Damaged Roads
WASHINGTON, DC - Rhode Island's Congressional delegation today announced the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is awarding Rhode Island $3.7 million to help fix bridges and roads damaged last year by Hurricane Irene. The funds will be used to offset costs incurred by the state in the wake of the storm. The grant, which is being distributed to the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, was made available by the formal emergency declaration issued by President Obama after the storm. The d… Continue Reading
01.04.12
Whitehouse Statement on President’s Appointment of Consumer Bureau Chief
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today applauded the decision by President Obama to appoint Richard Cordray to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Cordray, who was nominated for the position last July, had been prevented from taking office by Senate Republican filibusters. "Consumers in Rhode Island and across the country deserve to be protected from the unfair tricks and traps that so often lurk in the fine print of financial documents," said Whitehouse, who s… Continue Reading
12.21.11
Whitehouse Applauds New EPA Standards for Power Plant Mercury Pollution
Providence, RI - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today praised the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) announcement of new Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, the first-ever national standards to curb emissions of mercury and other toxic air pollution from coal-fired power plants, which cause particular harm to children and infants. These standards are projected to prevent up to 11,000 premature deaths each year and reduce cases of asthma and acute bronchitis among children. "Today, t… Continue Reading
12.19.11
Reed and Whitehouse Help Deliver Thermal-Imaging Cameras for West Warwick Fire Department
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse today announced $16,200 in federal funding for the West Warwick Fire Department to purchase two new thermal imaging cameras. The devices can detect body heat and hot spots in burning buildings, allowing firefighters to quickly reach victims and put out potentially deadly fires. "Our firefighters do a great job and it is critical that they have the resources and technology they need to protect the public. These new thermal imaging c… Continue Reading
12.17.11
Whitehouse Statement on Deal to Maintain Unemployment Benefits and Payroll Tax Cut
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the statement below today following the Senate's passage of legislation to maintain unemployment insurance and preserve a payroll tax cut for middle class families: "The Rhode Islanders I've heard from struggling to find work or to make ends meet in this tough economy will be pleased to get a little good news before the holidays. We were able to protect the payroll tax holiday for middle class families, and prevent as many as 9,80… Continue Reading
12.17.11
Senate Passes Whitehouse Resolution Honoring Service in Iraq
Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Senate today unanimously passed a resolution (S.Res.349) authored by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) to pay tribute to the members of United States Armed Forces who served in Iraq and their families. After almost nine years of war, nearly 4,500 Americans gave their lives in support of operations in Iraq - and more than 30,000 were wounded. The Pentagon declared an official end to the United States' military mission in Iraq on Thursday. "With the war in Iraq be… Continue Reading
12.16.11
Senators Urge Administration to Stand Firm on Clean Air Rules
Washington, DC - With an important deadline looming, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today led 15 of his colleagues on a letter urging President Obama to move forward on implementing a new clean air rule. The Utility Air Toxics Rule, which is scheduled to be finalized today, would help cut toxic pollution like mercury, which causes particular harm to children and infants. The rule is projected to save up to 17,000 lives per year through reduced instances of asthma attacks, heart disease,… Continue Reading
12.16.11
RI Wins Race for Early Learning Funds
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, after the White House announced Rhode Island will receive up to $50 million in federal Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge funds to help boost Rhode Island's early childhood care and pre-school programs, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) -- who strongly supported the state's efforts -- congratulated the state and commended the Obama Administration for awarding the funds to Rhode Island. Reed and Whitehouse supported the creation of Race to… Continue Reading
12.16.11
Final Defense Bill Contains Whitehouse Measure to Combat Counterfeit Military Products
Washington, DC - Following negotiations with the House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate has voted 86-13 to approve the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, which includes a bipartisan measure from U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) to curb trafficking in counterfeit military products. Introduced as the Combating Military Counterfeits Act, the provision would bolster efforts to protect troops and the United States military supply chain from dangerous counterfeit product… Continue Reading
12.15.11
Whitehouse Statement on Official End of U.S. Combat Mission in Iraq
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the following statement today after the United States military officially declared an end to its mission in Iraq. "Today we thank the men and women of our armed forces for their brave service in Iraq, and we honor the memory of those from Rhode Island and across the nation who gave their lives in this conflict. As we welcome home our veterans and continue to support American servicemembers deployed in Afghanistan and elsewhere, I … Continue Reading
12.14.11
Whitehouse Applauds FCC Regulations Regarding Loud Television Advertisements
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today applauded the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for finalizing new rules to crack down on excessively loud television commercials. The FCC adopted the rules as a result of Whitehouse's Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act, legislation signed into law last year to prevent commercials from being transmitted at a louder volume than the shows that they accompany. "This little improvement to our daily lives is nothing co… Continue Reading
12.14.11
Whitehouse Hosts Medicare Official in RI to Highlight State’s Health Care Leadership
Providence, RI - This week, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) hosted Dr. Richard J. Gilfillan, Acting Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, for a visit to Coastal Medical in Providence. Gilfillan toured the facility and met with Coastal Medical staff and Rhode Island health officials to learn about their efforts to improve primary care for patients. He then joined Whitehouse for a meeting with the Rhode Island Quality Institute to discuss the Health Care Innovation Ch… Continue Reading
12.12.11
Whitehouse Voices Support for Renewal of Domestic Violence Law
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse expressed his support for the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) by signing on as a cosponsor of legislation to reauthorize the landmark domestic violence prevention law. The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act would make a number of updates to strengthen VAWA, and renew the law's authorization for five years. The bill includes legislative language authored by Whitehouse to prevent dating violence among teenagers, originally introduced as t… Continue Reading
12.09.11
Whitehouse Meets with Rhode Island Shoppers in Warwick
Warwick, RI - With the holiday shopping season upon us, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse met with shoppers at the Warwick Mall today, and discussed his efforts to crack down on unfair credit card interest rates. Whitehouse joined Warwick Mall co-managing partner Aram G. Garabedian for a tour of the mall, during which he talked with individual shoppers and listened to their stories. "Rhode Islanders deserve to know that they will be able to buy that special gift for a child or loved one without… Continue Reading
12.09.11
RI Senators Call for Preservation of Job-Creating Clean Energy Tax Credits
Washington, DC - In an effort to help create jobs and spur construction of clean energy projects in Rhode Island, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse are calling on Congress to extend a series of expiring clean energy and efficiency tax provisions. Reed and Whitehouse joined with more than 30 of their Senate colleagues in sending a letter this week urging key Senate leaders to extend an important U.S. Treasury program that provides grants for renewable energy projects like wind farms… Continue Reading
12.08.11
Senate Committee Approves Bill to Protect RI Coastal Ecosystems
Washington, DC - A key Senate committee today approved legislation sponsored by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed that will expand the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS), which preserves areas that protect Rhode Island from damaging storm surges. The measure would revise existing boundaries to include 45 acres of new lands in the CBRS, which protects sensitive ecological coastal habitats - and homeowners and developers - by discouraging building in hurricane pron… Continue Reading
12.07.11
Whitehouse Urges Senate to Confirm Consumer Protection Bureau Nominee
Protecting Consumers: Sheldon Urges Support for CFPB Nominee Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse spoke on the Senate floor today in support of the confirmation of Richard Cordray to lead the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The Bureau, which was established by the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, will oversee the activities of banks and non-bank financial companies, including many mortgage servicers, private student lenders, debt collectors, pay… Continue Reading
12.07.11
Thousands of RI Seniors Benefitting from “Doughnut Hole” Fix
Washington, DC - Last year, as part of the health care reform law, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) helped lead the successful fight to end the Medicare Part D prescription drug "doughnut hole" which leaves thousands of Rhode Island seniors paying the total cost of their prescription drugs every year. According to a recently released report by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, more than 10,600 Rhode Island seniors have received prescription drug discounts as a result of the l… Continue Reading
12.04.11
Senate Clears Whitehouse-Backed Measure to Protect Troops from Roadside Bombs
Washington, DC - The Senate has approved legislation cosponsored by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) encouraging Pakistan to demonstrate a continued commitment toward countering improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which are responsible for approximately 90 percent of U.S. troop casualties in Afghanistan. The bipartisan measure, adopted as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (S.1867), would block U.S. counterinsurgency funding to Pakistan until the … Continue Reading
12.02.11
Whitehouse Highlights Efforts to Protect Troops from Counterfeit Military Products
Portsmouth, RI - Following the approval by the U.S. Senate this week of legislation to keep counterfeit products out of the military supply chain, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) visited a Rhode Island business today which is poised to help in this important effort. Whitehouse visited A2B Tracking, a Portsmouth company that manufacturers unique identification technology for the military as well as tracking software which could be used to prevent the distribution of counterfeit products. … Continue Reading
