Press Releases
Obama’s Move to Restore Confidence in Science Long Overdue, Whitehouse Says
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee who last year excoriated the Bush Administration for putting politics before science, said today that President Obama's new policy on the use of science in federal decisionmaking will restore the American people's faith in government and help put national environmental and regulatory policy back on the right track. "Politics should never trump science, especially when o… Continue Reading
03.06.09
RI Law Enforcement to Get $9.4 Million Boost in Federal Funding
WASHINGTON, DC - In an effort to prevent and reduce crime across the state, Rhode Island's Congressional delegation today announced that cities and towns throughout the state will receive $9.4 million in federal funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. State law enforcement officials will receive $5.7 million in federally provided funds and cities and town police departments will receive $3.7 million in Byrne Justice Assistance Grant funds which are appropriated by the U.S. Con… Continue Reading
03.06.09
Whitehouse Supports Push for Protected Status for Liberians
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joined Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and five other senators today in a letter asking President Obama to protect Liberians living in the United States from being forced to depart when their Deferred Enforced Departure status expires on March 31, 2009. "Liberians who have been living in Rhode Island and around the country for years shouldn't be forced to pack their bags in just a few short weeks and return to a country in distress," said White… Continue Reading
03.05.09
Senate Bill Would Outlaw Notorious Voter Suppression Tactic
Washington, D.C. - Political operatives would be unable to challenge a person's right to vote (or register to vote) based solely on unreliable information if a Senate bill introduced today becomes law. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), along with Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Bill Nelson (D-FL), John Kerry (D-MA), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chris Dodd (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) again offered legi… Continue Reading
03.05.09
Whitehouse Praises New Intelligence Committee Investigation Into Bush Administration Detention and Interrogation Program
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today expressed strong support for Chairman Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)'s announcement that the Committee will launch an investigation into the Bush Administration's program to detain and interrogate terror suspects. "This inquiry will be a powerful step towards correcting America's tragic trespass into the dark side," said Whitehouse, a former U.S. Attorney and Attorney General for R… Continue Reading
03.05.09
Whitehouse Shares Rhode Islanders’ Health Care Stories with President Obama
Washington, D.C. - For the past month, Rhode Islanders have been sending U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) their personal stories of frustration, worry, and heartbreak over a health care system that too often let them down. Today, Whitehouse shared a few of those stories with someone whose voice will be critical in the unfolding push for health care reform: President Barack Obama. Whitehouse joined President Obama, health care providers, businesses, and other Members of Congress at a Whit… Continue Reading
03.04.09
Whitehouse, Kennedy Bill Designates School Social Work Week
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and U.S. Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) are working to honor the contributions of school social workers to our country's young people by designating this week, the first week in March, as School Social Work Week. "As Rhode Island's Attorney General, I saw first-hand the enormous change that supportive, involved adults can make in students' lives through the after-school and mentoring programs we built at Oliver Hazard Perry Middle … Continue Reading
03.03.09
Whitehouse Applauds $10.7 Million for RI Transportation Projects
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) praised President Obama's announcement today that the U.S. Department of Transportation will release a total of $26.6 billion in funding from the economic recovery bill passed last month to jump-start transportation projects all over the country. The funds announced today include more than $10.7 million for projects in Rhode Island. "This is a down payment on our commitment to put Rhode Islanders back to work and invest in our infrastru… Continue Reading
02.27.09
Whitehouse Statement on President’s Plan to Bring Troops Home from Iraq
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse reacted today to President Obama's plan to end combat operations in Iraq by 2010: "I believe the President's decision to set a date to bring our troops home from Iraq is an encouraging step in the right direction," said Whitehouse. "As Rhode Islanders know, I have been working hard to end the war in Iraq, and have consistently pressed to bring our troops home as quickly and safely as possible." ###… Continue Reading
02.26.09
Snowe, Whitehouse Introduce Bill to Strengthen FBI Investigations of White-Collar Crimes
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today introduced legislation to strengthen the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) financial crime investigation unit by hiring 1,000 new agents dedicated to white-collar crimes. The "FBI Priorities Act," which authorizes $150 million in each of the next five years for the expansion, mirrors the steps taken by the FBI following the September 11th terrorist attacks in which approximately 1,000 agents we… Continue Reading
02.26.09
EPW Members to Focus on Global Warming Provisions in Budget
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, today made the following remarks regarding the role of EPW Committee Members who also serve on the Budget Committee: Senator Boxer said: "I have asked my EPW colleagues who serve on the Budget Committee to take the lead on this portion of the Budget that deals with cap and trade, and I am pleased that they have agreed to play that role." Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD), Bernie Sanders… Continue Reading
02.26.09
President’s Budget Sets the Right Course, Whitehouse Says
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, commented today on President Obama's first budget proposal, for Fiscal Year 2010: "When Rhode Island families set their budgets every year, they have to make tough, honest choices - and this year, the federal government has finally done the same. "President Obama's budget sets the right course as we weather economic crisis, and makes responsible down payments on our future. This plan invests in… Continue Reading
02.24.09
Whitehouse Applauds President’s Plan to Rebuild Economy, Reform Health Care System
Washington, D.C. - Responding to President Obama's address to a joint session of Congress tonight, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) expressed confidence in the President's plan: "Over and over again, I've heard from Rhode Islanders worried about their jobs, their retirement, their stressed family budgets, or how they'll afford it if a child or an elderly parent gets sick. For eight years, the Bush Administration turned a deaf ear. But tonight, for families all across this country who lo… Continue Reading
02.23.09
Whitehouse’s Call for Health Care Stories Draws Statewide Response
Washington, D.C. - Just days after U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) unveiled an online Health Care Storyboard for Rhode Islanders to share their stories about our broken health care system, more than 60 responses have already come in from all across the Ocean State. Reflecting a broad spectrum of ages and backgrounds, the stories are a powerful testament to the urgent need for reform. Today, Whitehouse took to the Senate floor to read some of these messages, making these Rhode Islanders'… Continue Reading
02.20.09
Rhode Island Medical Student Who Struggled to Find Health Care Will Join Whitehouse at Obama’s First Address to Congress
Washington, D.C. - A Rhode Island medical student living with Crohn's disease - and who faces challenges finding affordable health care in the future - will attend President Barack Obama's first address to Congress Tuesday evening as the guest of U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). Lauren Goddard, a medical student at Brown University, will watch President Obama's speech Tuesday from the Visitor's Gallery of the House of Representatives. The President has pledged to make affordable, access… Continue Reading
02.16.09
Durbin, Whitehouse Seek Status of Report on Torture Authorizations at the Department of Justice
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) sent a letter today to H. Marshall Jarrett, head of the Department of Justice's Office for Professional Responsibility (OPR), asking about the status of OPR's investigation of Justice Department attorneys who provided legal advice regarding waterboarding and other abusive interrogation techniques. "Our intelligence professionals should be able to rely in good faith on the Justice Department's legal advice. This g… Continue Reading
02.13.09
Whitehouse Joins Congressional Trip to Israel, Syria
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) will leave this evening for an official congressional delegation visit to Israel, Syria, and Austria from February 13-21. While overseas, Whitehouse will meet with U.S. and foreign leaders and attend the 8th Annual Winter Meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)'s Parliamentary Assembly. "For decades, the conflict in the Middle East has been among America's most difficult foreign policy challenges," said… Continue Reading
02.12.09
Whitehouse Authors Bill to Recoup Billions in Bailed-Out Banks’ Executive Pay
Washington, D.C. - As the Obama Administration unveiled stricter limits on future executive compensation as part of its plan to shore up the nation's shaky financial sector, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced legislation to help taxpayers recoup billions of dollars in deferred compensation already on the books at banks that receive, or have already received, taxpayer assistance under the federal bailout program. The Wall Street Journal estimated that banks receiving bailout funds… Continue Reading
02.12.09
Whitehouse to Lead Judiciary, Environment Oversight Subcommittees
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) will chair subcommittees focusing on oversight in both the Judiciary and Environment and Public Works Committees in the 111th Congress. Whitehouse, who played an active role in Congressional inquiries into politicization at the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency under the Bush Administration, expects to leverage his new positions to better understand the damage of the last eight years and help the Obama Adminis… Continue Reading
02.11.09
Whitehouse Meets with Actor and Oceans Advocate Ted Danson
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) met today with Ted Danson, the award-winning film and television actor and member of the Board of Directors of Oceana, to discuss Danson's work with Oceana to limit offshore drilling and support sustainable fishing. "It was good to hear Ted's thoughts on ways we can protect our precious coastlines from the risks that come when oil and gas rigs sprout up offshore," said Whitehouse, a member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Commit… Continue Reading
