Press Releases
Delegation Announces RI to Receive Over $250 Million in Federal Recovery Bond Assistance
WASHINGTON, DC - Rhode Island's Congressional delegation today announced that the U.S. Department of the Treasury is making over $151 million in Recovery Zone Facility Bonds and over $100.8 million in Recovery Zone Economic Development Bonds available to cities and towns throughout Rhode Island. The money will be provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and U.S. Representatives Patrick Kennedy … Continue Reading
06.11.09
Whitehouse Sponsors Legislation to Combat Childhood Lead Poisoning
Washington, D.C. - Legislation introduced today in the U.S. Senate would help homeowners in Rhode Island and around the country reduce the risk of childhood lead poisoning. The bipartisan Home Lead Safety Tax Credit Act of 2009, sponsored by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), would provide a federal tax credit of up to $3,000 to help cover the cost of reducing lead exposure in homes occupied by low-income families. The bill was first introduced in 2003 and in sub… Continue Reading
06.11.09
Rhode Island to Receive Nearly $450,000 to Keep Waters Clean
Washington, D.C. - Rhode Island's Congressional Delegation today announced $448,000 in federal funding for Rhode Island to help keep our waterways clean by preventing contamination from sewage. The funds will be used to install, replace, or renovate fifteen sewage pumpout stations around the state, and purchase a sewage pumpout boat to ensure Rhode Island boaters have easy access to proper waste management facilities. "This federal funding will help conserve Rhode Island's coastal waters so th… Continue Reading
06.10.09
Rhode Islander Testifies at Senate Hearing on Dangers of Relationship Violence
Washington, D.C. - Saunderstown resident Ann Burke, whose daughter Lindsay was murdered by an ex-boyfriend in 2005, has made "amazing contributions" to efforts to prevent dating violence in Rhode Island, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) said today at a Senate hearing where Burke testified in support of federal legislation to create grant programs for relationship violence education. Whitehouse, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke during the hearing to recognize Burke for he… Continue Reading
06.09.09
Experts Find Progress, but Room for Improvement, in Putting Science Before Politics at EPA
Washington, D.C. - President Obama's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made progress towards ensuring that environmental policy is based in science, not politics - but there's still room for improvement, experts testified before a Senate oversight hearing today. "In truth there is no silver bullet that will forever protect EPA science from political manipulation," said Dr. Francesca Grifo, Director of the Scientific Integrity Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. "Any law or po… Continue Reading
06.08.09
Whitehouse Hears From Rhode Islanders About Unfair Credit Practices
Providence, R.I. - On the heels of sweeping credit card reform legislation recently passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) met today with Rhode Islanders affected by unfair credit card practices at the John Hope Settlement House in Providence. Whitehouse heard from consumers and small business owners about the impact of high interest rates and other tricks and traps on their families and businesses. "With the economy in recession and u… Continue Reading
06.04.09
Whitehouse Meets with Supreme Court Nominee Sonia Sotomayor
Washington, D.C. - Judge Sonia Sotomayor should be confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court as soon as possible, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) said after meeting with her to discuss her historic nomination. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Whitehouse will be among a small group of senators who will question Judge Sotomayor during her confirmation hearings. He met with Sotomayor in his office in Washington, D.C. for about half an hour on Wednesday, June 3. "Against difficult … Continue Reading
06.04.09
RI to Receive $2.3 Million in Federal Funding for Flood Protection
WASHINGTON, DC - In an effort to create jobs, restore habitat, and mitigate flooding along the Pawtuxet, Pocasset, and Meshanticut Rivers, Rhode Island's Congressional Delegation today announced that the state will receive over $2.3 million through the federal Recovery Act for flood protection projects in Cranston and West Warwick. The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Rhode Island will receive over $1.95 million to purchase easem… Continue Reading
06.03.09
Cantwell, Collins, Whitehouse Announce Legislation to Address Underserved Populations and Shortage of Primary Care Workers
WASHINGTON, DC - Thursday, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) announced the introduction of the Preserving Patient Access to Primary Care Act to address two fundamental problems in health care: a critical shortage of primary care physicians and inefficient Medicare reimbursements that do not reward a coordinated approach of patients' health care needs. The legislation aims to provide efficient, cost effective, prevention oriented care throug… Continue Reading
06.03.09
Whitehouse Joins Cranston Family in Fight to Cure Genetic Disease
Washington, D.C. - In an effort to combat the leading genetic cause of death in children under the age of two, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) has cosponsored legislation to accelerate research into spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a disease that affects the Calise family of Cranston and thousands of others across the country. The Spinal Muscular Atrophy Treatment Acceleration Act (S. 1158) would rapidly advance treatments for SMA, a hereditary disorder that destroys nerves controlling v… Continue Reading
05.26.09
Whitehouse Travels to Middle East to Meet with Troops, Foreign Leaders
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) traveled overseas this Memorial Day weekend as part of an official congressional delegation visit to meet with American troops and foreign leaders in the Middle East. He was in Afghanistan today, and visited Iraq and Pakistan in recent days. "I was glad to have the chance to thank our troops serving abroad on this Memorial Day weekend," said Whitehouse. "As we work toward securing Afghanistan and Pakistan and welcoming our service memb… Continue Reading
05.26.09
Whitehouse Statement on Nomination of Judge Sotomayor to the Supreme Court
Afghanistan - During a congressional delegation visit to Afghanistan today, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) applauded President Obama's nomination to the Supreme Court of Judge Sonia Sotomayor of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. "By all accounts, Judge Sotomayor is a superb jurist who would bring distinction to the Court," said Whitehouse, a former U.S. Attorney and Attorney General for Rhode Island who now serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee. "Her nominat… Continue Reading
05.22.09
Rhode Island Appropriations Requests
Financial Services and General Government City of Providence Department of Planning and Development Providence, Rhode Island Rhode Island Center for Life Sciences, Research, Development and Commercialization Request: $750,000 The City of Providence requests funding for a planning, site selection, and project economics study to support the creation of the Rhode Island Center for Life Sciences, Research, Development and Commercialization in the City's Jewelry District. The propose… Continue Reading
05.22.09
RI Receives $450K to Protect Children from Online Predators
WASHINGTON, DC - Rhode Island's Congressional Delegation announced today that Rhode Island has received $452,439 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) for Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) program initiatives, administered by the Department's Office of Justice Programs (OJP). The Rhode Island State Police will receive the funds as the lead task force agency. "This funding will ensure Rhode Island's law enforcement officers have the resources they need … Continue Reading
05.22.09
Whitehouse: EPA Reforms to Toxins Assessment Process Will Improve Transparency
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) applauded the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s announcement yesterday that it would revamp the process by which it determines the toxicity of chemicals. EPA's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assesses the impact on human health of exposure to chemical substances, to help keep people informed about risks to public health in the air, water, and soil. "We depend on EPA to give the American people the information they need t… Continue Reading
05.20.09
International Anti-Piracy Caucus Unveils “2009 International Piracy Watch List”
Washington, D.C.: At a press conference today the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus, which is chaired by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT), and Congressmen Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), unveiled the "2009 International Piracy Watch List". In an effort to combat international copyright piracy by calling attention to countries where piracy has reached alarming levels the Caucus announced they will closely monitor the serious problems of copyrigh… Continue Reading
05.20.09
Whitehouse Hails Passage of Credit Card Reforms
Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Senate has passed legislation to make credit card company practices more transparent and reasonable for consumers, prohibiting unfair tricks and traps that keep many Americans in a "sweatbox" of mounting debt. The bill, H.R. 627, was based on the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009, which was sponsored by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and cosponsored by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). "With the eco… Continue Reading
05.20.09
Feingold, Sanders, Whitehouse Oversight Effort Could Result In $50 Million Saved
Washington, D.C. - In response to a request made by U.S. Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), the United States Air Force (USAF) is committing to reduce its purchases of unneeded spare parts, which could save taxpayers $50 million next year. The Armed Services have customarily ordered spare parts they do not need, tying up funds that could better be spent to fill budget shortfalls in other critical areas. The senators have urged the Armed Services… Continue Reading
05.19.09
Whitehouse Applauds New Auto Emissions Standards
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today praised President Obama's announcement of a new uniform federal standard to regulate fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks. "This is an enormous step forward: a national standard that makes cars both cleaner and more efficient, saving consumers money and protecting our environment," Whitehouse said. "That President Obama was able to get … Continue Reading
05.19.09
$111 Million in Education Funding Now Available to Rhode Island
WASHINGTON, DC -- Rhode Island's Congressional Delegation today announced that $111 million dollars in education funding is now available to the state through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, which was signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Representatives Patrick Kennedy and Jim Langevin supported the Recovery Act, which ensured that the state could seek today's funds by completing Part 1 of the State St… Continue Reading
