Press Releases
Faith Organizations Sound Off on Climate Change
Washington, DC - In January, the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change wrote to over 300 businesses and organizations, soliciting their views on actions the federal government could take to reduce carbon pollution and strengthen our resiliency to climate change. Today, the Task Force released the responses they have received from six faith organizations: the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs; the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops;… Continue Reading
03.15.13
Whitehouse Statement on Committee’s Approval of Budget Resolution
Washington, DC - Last night, the U.S. Senate Budget Committee approved a budget resolution for Fiscal Year 2014 by a vote of 12-10. The budget would raise nearly $1 trillion in new revenue by eliminating wasteful tax loopholes, make smart cuts in federal spending, and invest in roads, bridges, and water infrastructure to create jobs. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Committee, voted for the resolution and released the following statement after it was approved: "The Sena… Continue Reading
03.14.13
Judiciary Committee Approves Gun Violence Legislation
Washington, DC - Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee completed a series of meetings to vote on four proposals aimed at reducing gun violence in America. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) is a member of the Committee and joined a majority of his colleagues in approving all four measures. "Our nation has seen too much tragedy through gun violence in recent years, and we must act to make our communities safer," said Whitehouse. "These bills would codify some simple, commonsense principles:… Continue Reading
03.13.13
Whitehouse Statement on Senate Democrats’ Budget
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) released her proposed budget resolution for Fiscal Year 2014, and the Committee began its markup of the resolution with members providing opening statements. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Committee, submitted a statement for the Committee's record which read, in part: "As we work toward additional deficit reduction, the choice is clear - the balanced Democratic approach of ending tax spe… Continue Reading
03.12.13
Waxman, Whitehouse, Blumenauer, and Schatz Release Carbon Price Discussion Draft
WASHINGTON, DC- Today, Representative Henry A. Waxman, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Representative Earl Blumenauer, and Senator Brian Schatz released draft carbon-pricing legislation and solicited feedback on it from stakeholders and the public. The legislation would establish the polluter pays principle for dangerous carbon pollution, requiring large emitters to pay for the pollution they emit. The "discussion draft" released today contains a new and straightforward approach to putting a price… Continue Reading
03.11.13
Whitehouse and Cicilline Announce Legislation to Keep Jobs in America
Providence, RI - Today, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and U.S. Representative David Cicilline (D-RI) announced the introduction of the Offshoring Prevention Act, a bill that would level the playing field for American manufacturers by eliminating a special tax break for companies that ship jobs overseas. Whitehouse and Cicilline will file the legislation in the Senate and House, respectively, when Congress comes into session later today. This morning's announcement was made at Tanury I… Continue Reading
03.07.13
President Signs Violence Against Women Act into Law
Washington, DC - President Barack Obama today signed legislation re-authorizing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) into law. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse co-sponsored the legislation and successfully worked to include a new provision to prevent teen dating violence in the law. "This law has saved women's lives," said Whitehouse. "Today's action will strengthen protections for victims of domestic violence and give law enforcement in Rhode Island and across the nation important tools they… Continue Reading
03.07.13
Whitehouse Cosponsors Bill to Strengthen Social Security
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse joined Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) to introduce the Keeping Our Social Security Promises Act, which will strengthen the program for future generations. The bill would ensure that Social Security remains solvent for the next 50 years by asking the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share into the system. "I have heard from countless Rhode Island seniors who rely on Social Security to make ends meet, and who want to make sure the prog… Continue Reading
03.04.13
Sen. Whitehouse Statement on Nomination of Gina McCarthy to be EPA Administrator
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), co-chair of the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change and a member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, released the statement below today regarding President Obama's nomination of Gina McCarthy to be the next Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): "Gina McCarthy is an excellent choice to be our next EPA Administrator. She served New England under both Republican and Democratic governors and has a dis… Continue Reading
03.01.13
U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $2.9 Million to Rebuild Critical Fisheries Port Infrastructure in Rhode Island
WASHINGTON - The Rhode Island Congressional Delegation and state leaders today announced a $2.9 million U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management to rehabilitate critical infrastructure at the Port of Galilee in Narragansett, Rhode Island. U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Matt Erskine joined Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, and U.… Continue Reading
02.25.13
Bicameral Task Force Calls on Inspectors General to Ensure Federal Action on Climate Change
Today, the co-chairs of the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change, Rep. Henry A. Waxman and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, joined by new co-chairs Rep. Ed Markey and Sen. Ben Cardin, wrote to nearly 70 Inspectors General throughout the federal government requesting input on what each agency, government corporation, or independent establishment can do to confront the growing threat of climate change. The letters ask for information on how each department or agency is currently responding to existing … Continue Reading
02.22.13
Providence Fire Department Receives $400,000 Federal Grant
Providence, RI - U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today joined Providence Mayor Angel Taveras in announcing a $421,064 federal grant to help the Providence Fire Department purchase new equipment. All four Members of the Congressional delegation wrote letters to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which administers the grants, supporting the fire department's application. This competitive federal Assistance to F… Continue Reading
02.22.13
RI Awarded $1.6 Million in Federal Health Care Funding
Providence, RI - U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today joined with Governor Lincoln Chafee and Lt. Governor Elizabeth Roberts in announcing $1,631,042 in federal funding from a State Innovation Model award to improve health care quality and lower costs. Rhode Island was one of 25 states to receive State Innovation Model funding, which was made available by the Affordable Care Act. Rhode Island will use the funding to devel… Continue Reading
02.14.13
Senate Democrats’ Sequester-Replacement Plan Includes Whitehouse’s Buffett Rule
Washington, DC - Today, Senate Democratic Leaders unveiled a legislative package to replace the looming across-the-board spending cuts known as the sequester. Among the core components of this plan to raise new revenue and make responsible cuts is the Buffett Rule, which was originally written and introduced by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) last year. The Buffett Rule provision, based on Whitehouse's Paying a Fair Share Act, would ensure that multi-million-dollar earners pay a minimum… Continue Reading
02.14.13
Bicameral Task Force Co-Chairs React to GAO Decision to Place Climate Change on the High Risk List
Every two years, the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) releases its High Risk List, identifying the areas that pose the highest risk to the U.S. government. Today, GAO announced that for the first time, it is adding the fiscal exposure resulting from climate change to the High Risk List. In designating climate change as a high risk, GAO recognized that climate change threatens to inflict huge costs on the U.S. taxpayer, including damage to physical infrastructure, increased in… Continue Reading
02.14.13
Sen. Whitehouse to Speak at “Forward on Climate” Rally in Washington
Update: You can watch Sheldon's speech below. Washington, DC - This Sunday, climate change activists from around the country - including several busloads from Rhode Island - will converge on the National Mall in Washington, DC for what is being billed as "the largest climate rally in U.S. history." Today it was announced that U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), one of the leading voices for action on climate change in Congress, will be speaking at the rally. "I have been fighting ha… Continue Reading
02.12.13
Sen. Whitehouse Statement on President’s State of the Union Address
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the statement below following President Obama's State of the Union address: "Tonight President Obama laid out a positive agenda for job growth and a strong middle class, and also reiterated his commitment to combating the effects of climate change - an issue which hits home for Rhode Island in the form of stronger storms, higher seas, and polluted air. I've been frustrated by the barricade of special interests blocking action on c… Continue Reading
02.12.13
Senate Passes Legislation to Protect Women from Abuse
Washington, DC - By a vote of 78-22, the U.S. Senate today passed legislation to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, a landmark law originally passed in 1994 that protects women from domestic violence. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) was a cosponsor of the legislation, which also contains a provision he authored to prevent dating violence among teenagers. "This law has saved women's lives," said Whitehouse. "Today's action will strengthen protections for victims of domestic viol… Continue Reading
02.11.13
Whitehouse Introduces Sequester Replacement Plan to Preserve Jobs
Washington, DC - With the so-called budget "sequester" set to begin on March 1, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today introduced two bills to replace the across-the-board cuts. The bills, which are cosponsored by U.S. Senators Carl Levin (D-MI), Tom Harkin (D-IA), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), would raise the revenue needed to replace the sequester by closing tax loopholes that currently benefit the wealthiest Americans and big corporations. The sequester is a series of harsh across-the-bo… Continue Reading
02.09.13
With Blizzard Approaching, Delegation Requests Federal Emergency Declaration for RI
PROVIDENCE, RI - With a severe winter storm approaching, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline are urging the federal government to make federal assistance available to Rhode Island, if requested, to support emergency operations and recovery due to the winter storm bearing down on the state. The National Weather Service has issued a Blizzard Warning for the entire state of Rhode Island and is forecasting the storm could cause on… Continue Reading
