Press Releases
Whitehouse to RI Parents: Expanded Child Tax Credit Payments Start Landing in Bank Accounts Tomorrow
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Chairman of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight, today reminded Rhode Island parents that the expanded Child Tax Credit payments included in the American Rescue Plan will start landing in bank accounts tomorrow. The improved Child Tax Credit is poised to assist hundreds of thousands of Rhode Islanders. "After a really challenging stretch for Rhode Island families, Democrats have marshalled the full power of the federal … Continue Reading
07.14.21
Whitehouse Applauds Inclusion of Methane Price and Polluter Import Fee in Infrastructure Budget Framework
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, today applauded the new climate measures included in the infrastructure budget framework agreed to by members of the Committee yesterday evening. Both a price on methane emissions and a border adjustment fee were accounted for in the $3.5 trillion plan. "For far too long, the fossil fuel industry has been given a free pass to cheat and damage the planet by releasing huge amounts of methane, a sup… Continue Reading
07.08.21
RI Head Start Programs Awarded $3 Million to Support Return to Full In-Person Learning
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced that seven Head Start programs in Rhode Island have received a total of over $3 million from the American Rescue Plan. The funds will support the return to fully operational, in-person Head Start services for the children under the age of five who have been most affected by inequities exposed by the pandemic. "This additional federal Head Start funding will support … Continue Reading
07.07.21
Whitehouse, Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva Meet to Discuss U.S. Vaccine Aid to Cabo Verde
Providence, RI - Following Cape Verdean Independence Day yesterday, Cabo Verde Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva met virtually with U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today to thank the Senator for helping his country secure a U.S. commitment of vaccine assistance. Senator Whitehouse pressed federal agencies to extend vaccine assistance to the island nation after its sharp uptick in COVID-19 cases in May and June. The Biden administration has since announced millions of doses of vaccine to pri… Continue Reading
07.01.21
Whitehouse Statement on Partisan SCOTUS Decision Undercutting Voting Rights Act
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Courts Subcommittee, released the following statement on the Supreme Court's 6-3 partisan decision today in Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee undercutting vital voter protections under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act: "After right-wing donor interests packed the Court with justices to rule reliably in their favor, they turned to voter suppression to press their advantage. Today, those donors' handpicked… Continue Reading
07.01.21
Whitehouse Slams SCOTUS Decision in AFPF Dark Money Case
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Courts Subcommittee, released the following statement on the Supreme Court's partisan decision in Americans for Prosperity Foundation (AFPF) v. Bonta, a case that paves the way for sweeping protections for anonymous "dark-money" spending in American democracy: "The Court that Dark Money Built just handed dark-money donors a massive win. We are now on a clear path to enshrining a constitutional right to anonymous s… Continue Reading
07.01.21
Senators File Brief Urging Restoration of Judicial Oversight of Deadlocked, Ineffective FEC
READ THE FULL BRIEF HERE Washington, DC - Today, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) filed a brief in a major campaign finance case before the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit calling to restore judicial oversight over the broken Federal Elections Commission (FEC) in the wake of Citizens United. The senators, who have experienced firsthand the post-Citizens United delug… Continue Reading
06.30.21
Whitehouse, Daines Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Private Sector’s Ability to Take Action Against Hackers
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Steve Daines (R-MT) introduced a bipartisan bill that requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct a study on the benefits and risks of allowing private entities to take actions to protect their operations in response to cyber-attacks. "The Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack shows why we should explore a regulated process for companies to respond when they're targets," said Whitehouse. "This bill will help us determi… Continue Reading
06.29.21
RI Delegation Secures $2 Million to Reduce Health Inequality Among Black and Latino Communities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced that the City of Providence and the Rhode Island Public Health Institute (RIPHI) will be receiving more than $2 million through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Minority Health to develop, implement, and evaluate COVID-19 mitigation measures tailored towards Black and Latino communities in Rhode Island. People of color make up more than half of … Continue Reading
06.28.21
Delegation Announces $2.87 Million to Support Economic Recovery Through Community Development Financial Institutions
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced that the U.S. Department of the Treasury has awarded more than $2.87 million in COVID-19 relief funds to two community development financial institutions (CDFIs) in Rhode Island. The Providence Revolving Fund has been awarded $1.6 million and the Capital Good Fund received $1.278 million. The grants are made through Treasury's CDFI Rapid Response Program to provide c… Continue Reading
06.24.21
Senators Urge FERC to Stop Utility Companies from Charging Customers for Polluter Lobbying
Washington, DC - Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) sent a letter today urging the Chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to consider strengthening the Commission's regulatory accounting and financial reporting system, the Uniform System of Accounts (USofA), to help protect ratepayers from footing the bill for their utility trade association's political influence activities. Under the current USofA, uti… Continue Reading
06.23.21
Whitehouse Slams Partisan SCOTUS Decision Hampering Agricultural Workers’ Ability to Organize for Better Pay, Working Conditions
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Courts, issued the following statement on the Supreme Court's 6-3 partisan decision today in Cedar Point Nursery v. Hassid that effectively nullifies a California regulation protecting labor unions' ability to organize agricultural workers: "The Court that Dark Money Built delivers again for big-money Republican donors. Rather than follow the law and permit workers to pursue better pay and work… Continue Reading
06.22.21
Whitehouse Statement on For the People Act Vote
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, pledged to continue the fight to pass the For the People Act (S.1.), which Republicans blocked in the Senate today. Whitehouse's DISCLOSE Act-legislation to combat the scourge of dark money in American democracy-is a central component of the bill, and has won support from across the Democratic caucus in the Senate. Whitehouse issued the following statement: "This fight isn't over. Democrats ag… Continue Reading
06.17.21
Save Our Future Act Wins Support of Climate Activists, Union Workers, Environmental Justice Advocates, and Business Leaders
Washington, D.C. - A broad coalition of climate activists, union workers, environmental justice advocates, and business leaders have thrown their support behind the Save Our Future Act, new legislation introduced yesterday by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Brian Schatz (D-HI). The Save Our Future Act would drastically drive down the harmful emissions causing climate change and putting Americans' health and the global economy at risk. By assessing fees on large corporations responsible f… Continue Reading
06.17.21
Whitehouse, Graham, Blumenthal, Tillis Reintroduce Legislation to Fight Cybercrime
WATCH SENATORS' PRESS CONFERENCE HERE Washington, DC - Following a spate of crippling cyberattacks this year from hackers based in Russia and around the globe, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) today reintroduced the International Cybercrime Prevention Act to arm law enforcement with the tools necessary to fight back and better protect Americans. "The more we shift control of everyday life to cyberspace, the more o… Continue Reading
06.16.21
Whitehouse & Schatz Introduce Save Our Future Act to Charge Big Polluters for Emissions, Redirect Trillions to American Families and Communities Harmed by Pollution
Washington, D.C. - As Congress deliberates a once-in-a-generation investment in infrastructure and green energy, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) are introducing legislation to drastically drive down the harmful emissions causing climate change and putting Americans' health and the global economy at risk. By assessing fees on large corporations responsible for greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, the Save Our Future Act would cut emissions by roughly 50 percent a… Continue Reading
06.15.21
Whitehouse Celebrates Passage of Bill to Make Juneteenth a National Holiday
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today celebrated Senate passage of the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, legislation to designate Juneteenth as a permanent holiday marking the end of slavery in the United States. Whitehouse is a cosponsor of the bill, which passed by unanimous consent. "Juneteenth is a reminder of the progress we've made toward a more perfect union, and of the serious work still ahead to rid our society of slavery's long, lingering shadow," said White… Continue Reading
06.14.21
Whitehouse Joins Historic City Club of Cleveland to Discuss Special Interest Influence around the Supreme Court
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chair of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Courts Subcommittee, joined the storied City Club of Cleveland for an event entitled, "Judicial Crisis?: Dark Money, Court Capture, and the Future of American Democracy." Whitehouse, Club CEO Dan Moulthrop, and City Club members discussed the half century-old campaign by right-wing donor interests to seize control of the Supreme Court, and the effects of that campaign on American democracy. "I coul… Continue Reading
06.11.21
Health Insurance More Affordable Than Ever Thanks to American Rescue Plan
Providence, RI - The four members of Rhode Island's congressional delegation today joined with the leaders of HealthSource RI and the Providence Community Health Centers (PCHC) to get the word out to Rhode Islanders that health insurance is more affordable than ever thanks to the American Rescue Plan. The event was held at the future site of PCHC Atwood in Olneyville, Providence Community Health Centers' ninth site, which will open in January 2022 and become the provider for 14,000 new patients.… Continue Reading
06.09.21
Whitehouse Calls for Action Following Report on Richest Americans Avoiding Taxes on Massive Income
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chair of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight, released the following statement today on the investigation by ProPublica revealing how the richest Americans avoid paying income tax on billions of dollars in income. "Regular Americans pay their fair share, while some of the wealthiest U.S. taxpayers contribute next to nothing on billions in income. We need to pass my Buffett Rule bill to set a fair baseline for milliona… Continue Reading
