Press Releases
USDA Approves Statewide Disaster Declaration for RI Farmers
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved natural disaster declaration assistance for all Rhode Island farmers that suffered damage as a result of Tropical Storm Irene. This declaration paves the way for farmers throughout Rhode Island to seek financial assistance for their losses due to the severe weather. Previously, the USDA had made farmers in Bristol, Newport, and Providence counties eligible… Continue Reading
10.03.11
Whitehouse Statement on Vote to Advance Currency Manipulation Bill
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the statement below today regarding the successful procedural vote in the U.S. Senate to advance legislation that would crack down on unfair currency manipulation by China and other nations. The Senate voted this evening to invoke cloture on a motion to begin debate on the bipartisan Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act, setting up a final vote on the bill for later this week. "As I travel around the state, I've heard over… Continue Reading
09.30.11
RI Receives $3 Million to Help Students GEAR UP for College
PROVIDENCE, RI -- U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse today joined with students and education officials at Mount Pleasant High School in Providence to announce a new federal grant that could provide up to $18 million over the next several years to help public school students across the state succeed in school and prepare for college. The Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) grant program is designed to help economically disadvantaged students su… Continue Reading
09.28.11
Providence to Receive $1.35 Million COPS Hiring Grant
PROVIDENCE, RI - U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives David Cicilline and James Langevin today announced the Providence Police Department is receiving $1.35 million to add 5 more police officers to patrols this year. Administered by the U.S. Department of Justice's Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office, this COPS Hiring Program (CHP) grant will help put more police officers on the streets, reduce crime, and help the city fill budget gaps. "This… Continue Reading
09.26.11
CCRI to Receive $3.4 Million in Federal Funding to Help Train Workers for New Careers
PROVIDENCE, RI -- U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse today announced that the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) will receive more than $3.4 million for targeted job training and workforce development to help economically dislocated workers who are changing careers and increase the number of Rhode Islanders with a college degree or industry recognized credential. This federal grant will support partnerships between CCRI and employers to develop programs that provide pathways t… Continue Reading
09.23.11
U.S. Senate Passes Resolution Designating National Estuaries Day
Washington, DC - The U.S. Senate has unanimously approved a resolution declaring this Saturday, September 24, to be National Estuaries Day. The resolution was sponsored by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Scott Brown (R-MA) and cosponsored by Senators Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), , Ben Cardin (D-DE), Susan Collins (R-ME), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), John Kerry (D-MA), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Barbara Miku… Continue Reading
09.23.11
Whitehouse Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Prohibit the Use of Laser Pointers to Target Aircraft
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) has introduced bipartisan legislation to crack down on individuals who shine laser pointers at aircraft - an action that can temporarily blind pilots and put passengers at risk. The legislation, which is cosponsored by Senators Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Mark Kirk (R-IL), would make it a crime to knowingly aim a laser pointer at an aircraft, and subject violators to fines or… Continue Reading
09.22.11
Whitehouse Cosponsors Bill to Crack Down on Chinese Currency Manipulation
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) is continuing his fight to bolster Rhode Island manufacturing jobs, cosponsoring new legislation to crack down on unfair currency manipulation by China and other nations. The bipartisan Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act would amend U.S. trade laws to counter the economic harm to American manufacturers caused by currency manipulation. "Currency manipulation by China and other nations makes it harder for American manufacture… Continue Reading
09.22.11
Senators Introduce Resolution to Defend Pell Grants
Washington, DC - With so many American families still feeling the effects of our nation's economic downturn, the Pell Grant program is more important than ever for students struggling to afford a college education. Today, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced a resolution in the Senate to defend the Pell Grant program and make it clear that the program should not be cut in any deficit reduction package. The resolution is cosponsored by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Frank Lautenberg (D… Continue Reading
09.21.11
Senate Committee Approves Funding for Whitehouse’s Oceans Endowment
Washington, DC - Earlier this year, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced bipartisan legislation to establish a National Endowment for the Oceans, Coasts, and Great Lakes in order to protect our oceans and coasts, and the jobs they support. Today, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), of which Whitehouse is a member, took an important step toward establishing this program by approving legislation to provide funding for the Endowment. "This is a major step towar… Continue Reading
09.16.11
New Infrastructure Improvements to Help Boost Economic Development in Bristol
BRISTOL, RI - Bristol business owners and local officials today joined U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representative David Cicilline to discuss the positive economic impact of a new $2.96 million U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant that will help fund local infrastructure improvements, alleviate future flooding, and boost economic development. Reed and Whitehouse secured this emergency economic recovery funding in the Fiscal Year 2010 Supplemental Appr… Continue Reading
09.16.11
Senators Urge Obama to Protect Medicare Benefits
Washington, DC - With President Obama set to unveil a plan next week to pay for his proposed American Jobs Act by, among other things, "making modest adjustments to health care programs like Medicare," a group of U.S. Senators wrote to the President today urging him to protect Medicare benefits for seniors. In their letter, the Senators urge the Administration to prioritize delivery system reform in their efforts to reduce health care costs - not cut benefits for our seniors and disabled citizen… Continue Reading
09.15.11
Whitehouse Thanks Brown President Simmons for Service
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse released the statement below regarding today's announcement by Brown University President Ruth Simmons that she will be stepping down at the end of this academic year: "I join the Brown and greater Rhode Island community in thanking President Simmons for her service to the university, the City of Providence, and the State of Rhode Island. During her tenure, the contribution of Brown's students, faculty, and alumni has only strengthened Brown's re… Continue Reading
09.14.11
Senators Urge Supercommittee to Defend Social Security and Medicare Benefits and the Medicaid Program
Washington, DC - Today, as the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction begins its work to reduce the budget deficits, a group of U.S. Senators are urging the committee members to protect Social Security, Medicare benefits, and the Medicaid program. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) led the letter, which was also signed by Senators Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Al Franken (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)… Continue Reading
09.14.11
Reed and Whitehouse Announce $200K Grant for New Roots Providence
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse today announced that New Roots Providence received a $200,000 Nonprofit Capacity Building Program grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). This new federal grant will provide New Roots Providence with additional technical support and training to help nonprofits across the state become as efficient as possible. "We applaud New Roots Providence for successfully competing for this grant," said Reed and Wh… Continue Reading
09.13.11
Whitehouse, Reed Announce $15 Million in Economic Development Assistance for RI
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse today announced that Rhode Island will receive $15,063,164 in federal funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to help the state recover from the historic floods of 2010. The federal grants will help fund key roadway, sewer, and water infrastructure improvements that are designed to save jobs and help alleviate future flooding. Reed and Whitehouse secured this emergency economic recovery funding in the Fisca… Continue Reading
09.13.11
Bipartisan Group of Senators Announce Formation of Oceans Caucus
Washington, DC - With our oceans and coastal resources, and the economies and jobs they support, facing constant and increasingly direct pressure from a variety of sources, a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators today met to form a new Senate Oceans Caucus. The Caucus will work to increase awareness and find common ground in responding to issues facing the oceans and coasts, which support millions of jobs in America and contribute more to the country's GDP than the entire farm sector, grossing more… Continue Reading
09.11.11
Whitehouse Statement on 10th Anniversary of 9/11
Providence, RI - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse released the below statement today regarding the ten year anniversary of September 11, 2001: "Ten years after the tragic events of September 11th my thoughts and prayers are with the families of those lost on that day, and with our servicemembers who continue to serve so honorably abroad. All of us will forever remember that day as a time when our nation changed, but also as a time of common purpose and renewed patriotism. Today, as we honor th… Continue Reading
09.09.11
Senators Whitehouse, Lautenberg Call for Action on Chemicals of Concern
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Frank R. Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) called on the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) to conclude its nearly 500-day review of a proposed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule listing chemicals that may pose hazards to the public's health. The Senators want to ensure that the EPA exercises the limited authority provided by the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) while the Senators continue working to reform and… Continue Reading
09.08.11
Whitehouse Statement on President’s Jobs Speech
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the statement below following President Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress, during which he proposed the American Jobs Act - a new plan to boost job creation: "Tonight, President Obama outlined a much-needed plan to spur job growth in America. I was especially pleased to hear the President call for tax incentives for businesses that hire, which is something I've been fighting for. I've heard from Rhode Island business … Continue Reading
