Press Releases
New Legislation Would Help Protect Military Families From Foreclosure
Washington, DC - With thousands of military servicemembers currently deployed overseas, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today introduced legislation to give them and their families peace of mind back home by enhancing foreclosure protections. The Protecting Servicemembers from Mortgage Abuses Act of 2011, cosponsored by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Jon Tester (D-MT) would improve protections against abuses and provide greater incentives for f… Continue Reading
03.02.11
RI Delegation to IRS: Don’t Let EITC Funds Go To Waste
Washington, DC - Every year, one in five eligible taxpayers fails to collect their Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), missing out on funds which can help balance household budgets and boost local economies. Today, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline wrote to Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Douglas Shulman to ask that the agency resolve this issue by automatically screening tax returns for eligibility. "Prior to 1992, the IRS scree… Continue Reading
03.01.11
Reed & Whitehouse Urge Obama to Swiftly Sell $500 Million of Emergency Oil from Faltering Cavern
WASHINGTON, DC - In an effort to reduce gas prices for consumers and prevent millions of barrels of oil from seeping into the ground beneath Southeast Louisiana, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are backing the Obama Administration's proposal to sell $500 million worth of federal oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. In 2009, the federal government found that Bayou Choctaw Cavern 20 near Baton Rouge, Louisiana had "structural problems that pose an environmental r… Continue Reading
02.18.11
Reed and Whitehouse Want Previously Budgeted Federal Rail Money Redirected to RI
WASHINGTON, DC - In an effort to boost Rhode Island rail projects, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse are asking the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to redirect a portion of $2.5 billion in high-speed rail Recovery Act funds from Florida to the Ocean State. Earlier this week, Florida Governor Rick Scott turned down nearly $2.5 billion in federal high-speed rail funding, and Senators Reed and Whitehouse say that money could be put to good use improving Rhode Island's railway… Continue Reading
02.16.11
Whitehouse, Eshoo, and Lance Introduce Pancreatic Cancer Research Act
Washington, D.C. - Today Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-Palo Alto), and Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ) held a press conference to introduce the Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act. In attendance were Lisa Swayze, wife of the late Patrick Swayze who died of pancreatic cancer, and Julie Fleishman, President of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. "Pancreatic cancer is a terrible disease which has hit home for thousands of families in Rhode Island and around the cou… Continue Reading
02.16.11
Congressional Delegation Announces $568K for East Providence and Middletown Fire Departments
Washington, DC - In an effort to enhance Rhode Island's emergency response preparedness, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representative David Cicilline today announced that the East Providence and Middletown Fire Departments will receive over $568,342 in Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) through the Department of Homeland Security. The East Providence Fire Department will receive $380,052 to purchase 2-thermal imaging cameras, 57-personal escape rope packs, and pro… Continue Reading
02.15.11
Whitehouse to Chair Judiciary and EPW Subcommittees
Washington, DC - The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee has announced subcommittee assignments for the 112th Congress, designating U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) as chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism. Whitehouse served previously as chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts, where he focused on issues such as unfair credit card practices, the foreclosure crisis, and how to help small businesses. He plans to use the Crime and Terror… Continue Reading
02.11.11
NEA Chairman Praises RI Artistic Community
Providence, RI - Highlighting the integral role Rhode Island's artistic community plays in our state's economy, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today hosted Rocco Landesman, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), for a tour of the local arts scene. "I was glad to host Chairman Landesman in Rhode Island to showcase local artists and institutions, and their amazing talents and innovations," said Whitehouse, who invited Landesman to the state and who serves as an ex-officio member … Continue Reading
02.11.11
Reed & Whitehouse Announce $10.6 Million in Flood Assistance for RI
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse today announced that the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is making up to $10.6 million in federal funding immediately available to Rhode Island to help communities recover from last year's historic floods. Reed and Whitehouse helped secure this emergency disaster relief funding in the Fiscal Year 2010 Supplemental Appropriations disaster relief bill. "This funding will help families, communities, and businesses that… Continue Reading
02.03.11
Amendment to Criminalize the Use of Laser Pointers to Target Aircraft Passes in Senate
Washington, DC - The Senate has passed, with a 96-1 vote, an amendment introduced by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) that would crack down on individuals who shine laser pointers at aircraft - an action which can temporarily blind pilots and put passengers at risk. The bipartisan amendment, which is cosponsored by Senators Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Dan Inouye (D-HI), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Bob Casey (D-P… Continue Reading
02.02.11
Menendez Reintroduces Legislation to Close Big Oil's Tax Loopholes
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today reintroduced his Close Big Oil Tax Loopholes Act, legislation to close a number of corporate tax breaks that allow oil companies to avoid paying billions of dollars in taxes. This comes on the heels of President Obama calling in his State of the Union address for the oil company loopholes to be closed - a call that is expected to be reflected in the president's forthcoming budget proposal. The legislation, co-sponsored by Senators Jeff Merk… Continue Reading
02.02.11
Whitehouse Congratulates RI Company Recognized by President Obama
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse released the following statement today regarding news that the Rhode Island start-up accelerator Betaspring has been selected to participate in the Obama Administration's Startup America program: "Rhode Island has a long tradition of innovation dating back to Slater Mill and the birth of the Industrial Revolution. Today's announcement that Betaspring will be among the programs partnering with the White House to boost American entrepreneurship sho… Continue Reading
02.02.11
Senators Push for Legislation to Criminalize the Use of Laser Pointers to Target Aircraft
Washington, DC - As the Senate takes up the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization bill this week, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced an amendment to crack down on individuals who shine laser pointers at aircraft - an action which can temporarily blind pilots and put passengers at risk. The bipartisan amendment, which is cosponsored by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), and Mark Kirk (R-IL) … Continue Reading
02.01.11
Experts Testify on Success of Foreclosure Mediation Programs at Whitehouse Hearing
Washington, DC - Bankruptcy Court foreclosure mediation programs can help struggling homeowners cut through the red tape as they seek a mortgage modification to stay in their homes, according to testimony heard today in a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing chaired by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). Starting in 2009, the Bankruptcy Courts for the Districts of Rhode Island and New York began offering pre-trial foreclosure mediations. While no settlement is required, the program bring… Continue Reading
01.31.11
RIQI to Receive an Additional $400,000 for Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center
Washington, DC - Rhode Island's congressional delegation today announced that the Rhode Island Quality Institute (RIQI) will receive an additional $404,775 from the Department of Health and Human Services to fund Rhode Island's health information technology regional extension center. Funded by a provision in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which Senator Sheldon Whitehouse authored, this award is in addition to the $6 million RIQI received nearly a year ago to start the program. "Thi… Continue Reading
01.28.11
Whitehouse Applauds Decision on Foreclosure Mediation Program
Providence, RI - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse issued the following statement today regarding the decision by U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Arthur N. Votolato upholding the Court's right to run pre-trial foreclosure mediations: "Today's decision by Judge Votolato is a win for Rhode Island homeowners. The Rhode Island bankruptcy court's foreclosure mediation program helps distressed families to cut through the red tape of our broken mortgage modification process and has already saved at least 1… Continue Reading
01.27.11
Congressional Delegation Announces $133K for Woonsocket Fire Department
Washington, DC - In an effort to enhance Rhode Island's emergency response preparedness, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representative David Cicilline today announced that the Woonsocket Fire Department will receive $133,560 in federal funds to purchase new equipment and upgrade facilities. The funds, awarded as part of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants program, will be used to buy eight new headsets, and pay for training programs to ensure their drivers and operator… Continue Reading
01.27.11
Senators Reed and Whitehouse Gain New Committee Roles
WASHINGTON, DC- Today, Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse were awarded new committee responsibilities that will benefit Rhode Island's families and the state's economy. Reed will serve on the Appropriations Committee, which approves funding for all domestic and defense discretionary programs totaling over $1 trillion each year, and the Armed Services Committee, which oversees national security policy and defense programs important to Aquidneck Island businesses as well as the Newport Nav… Continue Reading
01.26.11
Whitehouse Applauds Fraud Prevention Efforts
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today commended the joint efforts of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice to crack down on fraud and abuse in America's health care system. A report released Monday showed that the joint effort resulted in the recovery of more than $4 billion in taxpayer dollars in fiscal year 2010. "As we continue working to address our long-term budget deficit, identifying and attacking cases of fraud in our health care sys… Continue Reading
01.26.11
Whitehouse: Mercury Report Highlights Need for Action
Washington, DC - A startling study released today by Environment America reveals that mercury poisoning is a prevalent and increasing problem. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today released the following statement in reaction to the study: "This study should set off warning bells across the United States," said Whitehouse. "Not only is the health of every Rhode Islander threatened due to unrestricted mercury pollution in our atmosphere, but our vital fish populations are at risk. EPA's pla… Continue Reading
