Press Releases
Whitehouse, Kennedy Issue Report Examining Boundaries of Executive Privilege and the Importance of Congressional Oversight
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and John Kennedy (R-LA), the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, released a report entitled: Overprivileged: A Closer Look at Congressional Oversight, Executive Privilege and the Separation of Powers. The new report breaks down the logjam of information disputes between the executive branch and Congress that is thwarting Con… Continue Reading
12.19.22
Whitehouse Statement on Criminal Referrals from January 6th Select Committee
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the bipartisan House Select Committee's criminal referral of former President Trump and several of his associates to the Department of Justice: "I applaud the Select Committee for its many months of diligent investigation and public hearings. The opinion of legislators about prosecution carries little weight at the Department of Justice,… Continue Reading
12.16.22
Whitehouse, Portman Laud Proposed Rule to Continue Telehealth Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) have issued the following statements in response to the announcement by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that the agency released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to continue Public Health Emergency-related telehealth provisions, update opioid treatment program guidelines, and reduce barriers for providers and patients: "The opioid epidemic has taken a heartbreaking toll on Rho… Continue Reading
12.16.22
Reed, Whitehouse, & Cicilline: FIFA’s Anti-LGBTQ+ Stance Deserves a Red Card
WASHINGTON, DC - Ahead of this weekend's World Cup final, a group of 30 U.S. lawmakers, including U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressman David Cicilline, are calling foul over FIFA's decision to punish players wearing "OneLove" arm bands in support of LGBTQ+ rights. In a bicameral letter to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the lawmakers say FIFA made the wrong call to censor support for LGBTQ+ rights by fans and players at the 2022 World Cup. Reed, Whitehouse, and Cicil… Continue Reading
12.16.22
Senate Passes Whitehouse-Cicilline Bill to Strengthen U.S.-Portuguese Relations
WASHINGTON, DC - Yesterday, the Senate passed the Advancing Mutual Interests and Growing Our Success (AMIGOS) Act. The bill, introduced by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Congressman David N. Cicilline (D-RI), now heads to the President's desk for signature. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will extend trade and investor visas to Portuguese citizens to increase international business between the United States and Portugal. "Generations of Portuguese immigrants have made lasting con… Continue Reading
12.15.22
Whitehouse Provisions to Protect Ocean Health, Strengthen Coastal Resiliency Head to the President’s Desk
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) tonight voted to pass the FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which has now cleared Congress and is expected to be signed into law by President Biden. The must-pass defense bill incorporates Whitehouse's sweeping oceans package and the bipartisan water resources legislation that Whitehouse helped shepherd through the Senate in July. "Today's a great day for our oceans. The package we included in the NDAA is the most compr… Continue Reading
12.15.22
Whitehouse’s Bipartisan Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act Heads to President’s Desk
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statements after the Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act, which would equip law enforcement officers with the tools to effectively and safely respond to people in crisis, passed the House last night on a bipartisan 264-162 vote. The bill is now headed to the President's desk for signature. "I'm pleased to see the House pass the Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act and send it the… Continue Reading
12.15.22
Whitehouse Introduces Bipartisan Legislation Improving Quality of Care for America’s Seniors
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today joined Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) in introducing the Preserving Access to Value Based Care Act. This bipartisan legislation ensures health care providers through Medicare continue to commit to value-based models, or Alternative Payment Models (APMs). "Rhode Island's accountable care organizations have been national leaders at improving patient care and lowering costs. Medicare has earned back millions from their success," said … Continue Reading
12.14.22
Senator Whitehouse, Congressman Schiff Urge Meta to Maintain Policies on Election Misinformation, Uphold Trump Suspension
Washington, D.C. - Today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) sent a letter to Meta's President of Global Affairs, Nicholas Clegg, urging Meta to maintain its commitment to keeping dangerous election denial content off its platform. "After each election cycle, social media platforms like Meta often alter or roll back certain misinformation policies, because they are temporary and specific to the election season," Whitehouse and Schiff write. "Doing so in this cu… Continue Reading
12.13.22
Whitehouse Joins President Biden For Historic Respect for Marriage Act Bill Signing
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today joined President Joe Biden at the White House to take part in a historic bill signing for the Respect for Marriage Act, landmark legislation to enshrine marriage equality into federal law. Whitehouse, a cosponsor of the bill and longtime supporter of marriage equality, released the following statement: "I'm very proud that Rhode Island was an early adopter of marriage equality. Today, we have ensured that marriage equality will remain t… Continue Reading
12.08.22
Whitehouse, Merkley Introduce Legislation to Monitor and Track Methane Emissions
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) today introduced the Methane Emissions Research Act of 2022, a bill intended to empower the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to measure and quantify methane emissions from domestic oil and gas operations. "If we're going to lead the planet to safety in the race against climate change, we've got to act quickly to curb the methane emissions spewing from oil and gas facilities," said Senator Whitehouse. "The Me… Continue Reading
12.07.22
After Widespread Fossil Fuel Lobbying at COP27, Whitehouse, Cardin, & Markey Call for UN Climate Conferences to Require Corporate Participants to Provide Audited Climate Political Influencing Statements
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Ed Markey (D-MA) have sent a letter to the United Nations Secretary General António Guterras calling on the United Nations to require sponsors and participants at future climate conferences to provide audited corporate climate political influencing statements. Last month, the three senators traveled together to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt to observe the twenty-seventh Conference of the Parties (COP), which also a… Continue Reading
12.07.22
Whitehouse Secures Major Oceans Policy Wins in NDAA
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the following statement today on the inclusion of several major oceans provisions in the FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The defense bill will accelerate maritime technology innovation, improve ocean and coastal mapping, protect marine mammals, and harden our defenses against pirate fishing, among other important provisions. "I'm pleased to announce the inclusion of a comprehensive oceans package in this year'… Continue Reading
12.06.22
RI Delegation Announces $1.25 Million for Resiliency Upgrades Along Woonasquatucket River
Providence, RI - U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced that the City of Providence and the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council have been awarded two grants totaling $1.25 million to strengthen resiliency and improve water and habitat quality along the Woonasquatucket River watershed. The federal grant comes from the National Coastal Resilience Fund, which was developed by Whitehouse to restore and strengthen the natur… Continue Reading
12.06.22
RI Delegation Welcomes $11.6 Million in Federal Funding to Strengthen RI’s Public Health Workforce and Infrastructure
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressman David Cicilline and Jim Langevin announced $11,615,456 in federal funding to strengthen the state's public health workforce and improve critical public health infrastructure. The federal funding, administered by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act, which all four members of the state's Congressional delegation helped pass last year. The… Continue Reading
12.06.22
Ahead of Oral Arguments in High-Stakes Election Case, Sen. Whitehouse and Rep. Johnson Point to Opaque Web of Election Deniers and Vote Suppressors Peddling Sham Legal Theory
Washington, D.C. - Ahead of tomorrow's oral arguments in Moore v. Harper, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Congressman Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), Chairmen of the Senate and House Judiciary Courts Subcommittees respectively, are pointing to an amicus brief they filed in the case in October. The high-stakes partisan gerrymandering case pending before the Supreme Court has the potential to unleash chaos in American elections. In their brief, Whitehouse and Johnson revealed how the individu… Continue Reading
12.06.22
Whitehouse, Colleagues Ask POTUS to Require Disclosure of Political Spending by Federal Contractors
Washington, DC - Today, Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) led 19 senators in calling on President Biden to issue an executive order requiring federal contractors to disclose their political spending, including dark money expenditures, after they are awarded a federal government contract. An effective disclosure system would shine a light on special interest influence and help increase Americans' trust in government. "It is paramount to shore up protections against dark money quid pro quo corruption an… Continue Reading
12.02.22
Whitehouse Calls for Paid Sick Leave for Rail Workers
Washington, D.C. - As the Senate takes up legislation to avert a nationwide freight rail shutdown that would have devastating economic effects, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today called on the Senate to support rail workers and pass legislation providing seven days of paid sick leave. "As railroad companies rack up record profits, the frontline workers who keep the trains running are working around the clock without paid sick leave. It's inexcusable that 100,000 Americans working for… Continue Reading
11.29.22
Whitehouse Cheers Senate Passage of Historic Respect for Marriage Act
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today voted to pass the Respect for Marriage Act, landmark legislation to enshrine marriage equality into federal law. Whitehouse, who is a cosponsor of the bill, released the following statement after it was approved by the Senate on a bipartisan 61-36 vote: "The radical far-right majority planted via the Federalist Society on the Supreme Court has demonstrated that it is perfectly willing to roll back constitutional rights. In the Cour… Continue Reading
11.29.22
Sen. Whitehouse and Rep. Johnson Respond to SCOTUS Letter Regarding Outside Influence Scandal
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Congressman Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), Chairmen of the Senate and House Judiciary Courts Subcommittees respectively, are responding to a new letter from the legal counsel for the Supreme Court. The Court's response comes after Whitehouse and Johnson wrote to the Supreme Court last week calling for answers to basic questions about apparent ethical lapses related to an outside influence campaign targeting Republican-appointed justices. T… Continue Reading
