Press Releases
Whitehouse Statement on Copenhagen Summit
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the following statement regarding today's developments at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen: "Since taking office in January President Obama has worked quickly to reverse eight years of American neglect of climate change, and his constructive engagement with other world leaders today in Copenhagen moves us further forward. The productive discussions between the U.S. and China give hope that they and other large emit… Continue Reading
12.14.09
Whitehouse Applauds Senate Leadership Commitment to Closing Medicare “Donut Hole”
Washington, D.C. - During the health care debate on the Floor of the United States Senate today, Majority Leader Harry Reid committed to closing the Medicare "donut hole" gap in prescription drug coverage, an announcement welcomed by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. Making sure seniors have access to affordable prescription drug coverage has long been a top priority for Senator Whitehouse. "During my travels throughout the state, I have met countless seniors who are frustrated and confused by the P… Continue Reading
12.14.09
Congress Approves Millions for RI that Reed and Whitehouse Secured in 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Senate yesterday approved 57-35, a year-end appropriations bill that U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse said will provide critical federal support for a wide range of projects and programs throughout Rhode Island. The legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives 221-202 on December 10 and will now go to the President's desk to be signed into law. "This has been a difficult fiscal year, but I am pleased to have secured these crucial investments to he… Continue Reading
12.10.09
Senators Push for Reduction in the Volume of Excessively Loud Television Commercials
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced legislation that would require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to regulate the volume of television advertisements. The Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act of 2009 (S. 2847) co-sponsored by Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), would require the volume of television advertisements to be no louder than the volume of the program during which the advertisements appear. "Every day millions of Americans are … Continue Reading
12.09.09
Whitehouse Amendment to Health Care Bill Would Help Families Struggling with Medical Debt
Washington, DC - As the Senate continues to debate landmark health care reform legislation, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) has filed an amendment to the legislation to help the many American families burdened by the costs of illness and injury. The amendment, which is modeled after Whitehouse's Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act introduced earlier this year, would make the bankruptcy process less costly and more accessible for people bankrupted by medical bills. "Many families in Rhode Is… Continue Reading
12.09.09
Whitehouse to Chair Cyber Security Task Force
Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has established a Cyber Security Task Force to evaluate cyber threats to the United States and issue recommendations to the U.S. intelligence community, as appropriate. The bipartisan task force will be chaired by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and will also include Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME). "I'm honored to have been chosen by Chairman Feinstein to lead this task force," said Whitehous… Continue Reading
12.08.09
Senators Urge President to Put Americans to Work Rebuilding Our Crumbling Infrastructure
Washington, DC - As the President and Congress continue to examine new ways to create jobs, a group of 24 U.S. Senators today urged President Obama to focus these efforts on rebuilding our nation's infrastructure. In a letter to the President, the Senators argued that their states have "significant, documented infrastructure repair needs" which present a prime opportunity for job creation. The letter was signed by Senators Whitehouse, Leahy, Levin, Kerry, Harkin, Wyden, Durbin, Reed, Landrieu,… Continue Reading
12.08.09
Whitehouse Statement on EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Finding
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse released the following statement regarding the Environmental Protection Agency's official conclusion that greenhouse gas emissions pose a threat to human health: "For eight years, the Bush Administration did everything in its power to avoid regulating greenhouse gas emissions as pollutants, even after the Supreme Court ordered EPA to determine whether greenhouse gases pose a danger to public health and the environment. The EPA under the Obama A… Continue Reading
12.07.09
Whitehouse Introduces Amendments to Increase Funding for Local Hospitals
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) has filed two amendments to the Senate's health care reform bill, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, to help a pair of local hospitals get their fair share of federal funding designated for teaching hospitals. "Teaching hospitals offer new doctors invaluable experience working with patients, and the federal government has long recognized that additional funding helps make these residency programs possible," said Whitehouse. … Continue Reading
12.03.09
Whitehouse Introduces Amendment to Health Care Reform Bill
Washington, DC - Senator Whitehouse today filed an amendment to the Senate health care bill expressing the Sense of the Senate that surpluses generated by this bill for the Social Security trust fund be reserved for Social Security, and that savings for the long term insurance program created by the CLASS Act be reserved for that program. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that this bill would reduce the deficit by $130 billion in the first 10 years, and roughly $650 billion in the secon… Continue Reading
11.21.09
In Senate Speech, Whitehouse Speaks in Favor of Making Affordable Health Care a Reality for All Americans
Washington, D.C. - As the Senate continues the debate on legislation to reform the nation's broken health care system, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) spoke today on the Senate floor in favor of making quality, affordable health care a reality for all Americans and noted the extreme similarities between Senate Republicans' and the health insurance industry's opposition to reform. Full text of Whitehouse's remarks, as prepared for delivery, is below.------------------------------- Madame… Continue Reading
11.21.09
Statement of Senator Whitehouse on Senate’s Successful Vote to Move Health Care Reform Legislation Forward
Washington, D.C. - "During the course of our national debate on health care reform, I heard from thousands of Rhode Islanders online through my health care storyboard, at my community dinners, and at meetings and main street visits. I hear their urgent call for health care reform. The Senate's move to a full debate of comprehensive health care reform is a major step toward the enactment of legislation that will dramatically increase health care coverage, improve health care quality, and reduce … Continue Reading
11.16.09
Legislation Introduced in Senate and House to Better Manage Prison Population Growth
Washington, D.C. - United States Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced today the Criminal Justice Reinvestment Act of 2009 to help states and localities better understand how to manage the growth in prison and jail populations and increase public safety. The legislation would authorize grants to analyze criminal justice trends and to design and implement policies to better manage prison spending. Congressmen Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Dan Lungr… Continue Reading
11.13.09
Whitehouse Hears from Local Homeowners About The Housing Market Crisis
Warwick, RI - As millions of American homeowners continue to struggle against the tide of home foreclosures, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) heard from Rhode Island homebuyers and realtors yesterday about the recession's impact on the local housing market. Whitehouse hosted a roundtable discussion at The Rhode Island Association of Realtors in Warwick. Whitehouse stressed to the participants the importance of the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit established last year and expanded t… Continue Reading
11.05.09
Whitehouse Votes in EPW Committee to Bypass Republican Obstruction on Climate Change Bill
Washington, DC - The U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) today passed landmark climate change legislation to combat global warming and invest in a new clean energy economy. Because the Republican members of the Committee declined to propose amendments to the legislation and boycotted the Committee's meetings to consider the bill, the Committee approved EPW Committee Chairman Boxer's "mark" of the legislation without amendment. The bill passed by the Committee is stronger … Continue Reading
11.05.09
Delegation Applauds Selection of Curt Spalding to be New Regional Administrator for U.S. EPA
WASHINGTON, DC - Rhode Island's Congressional delegation today applauded the Obama Administration's announcement that it will name Curt Spalding as the new head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Region I office. As the U.S. EPA Region I Administrator, Spalding will be New England's senior environmental official, overseeing federal environmental programs within the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. "I applaud the Obama Admin… Continue Reading
11.04.09
Whitehouse Praises Senate Passage of Unemployment Extension
Washington, DC - With millions of Americans still struggling to find work in this difficult economy, the U.S. Senate today took action to assist those in need by extending unemployment insurance benefits for up to 20 weeks. The legislation, which passed the Senate by a vote of 98 to 0, will also expand and extend the $8,000 homebuyer tax credit passed earlier this year and allow businesses to offset losses incurred during the recession. Whitehouse, a cosponsor of the unemployment provision, re… Continue Reading
11.03.09
Delegation Announces $15 Million Industrial Energy Efficiency Grant for Johnston Landfill Project
WASHINGTON, DC- Rhode Island's Congressional delegation today announced that the U.S. Department of Energy is awarding a $15 million Recovery Act grant to Rhode Island LFG Genco, an affiliate of Ridgewood Renewable Power, to support the expansion of Ridgewood's landfill methane-capture electricity generation plant in Johnston. The project will be the second-largest landfill gas-to-electricity generation facility in the United States. The project will generate 42 MW of power, and save an estimat… Continue Reading
10.26.09
Whitehouse Meets with Military, Afghan Leaders
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, traveled to Afghanistan this weekend as part of a congressional delegation led by U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) to learn first hand about the progress of U.S. military efforts in the region. While in Afghanistan, Whitehouse met with senior diplomats and military and intelligence officials, including International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Commander General Stanley McChrystal and U… Continue Reading
10.23.09
Whitehouse Travels to Afghanistan to Meet with Troops, Officials
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) is traveling to Afghanistan today to meet with senior military, civilian, and intelligence officials. Whitehouse, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, is traveling as part of a congressional delegation led by U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) to get an update on the status of American efforts in Afghanistan directly from the professionals on the ground. "I'm always glad to have the chance to thank our troops serving abr… Continue Reading
