Press Releases
Reed, Whitehouse Cosponsor Bill to Prevent Criminals and Terrorists from Purchasing Guns
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are teaming up with Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) to close a gap in existing federal law and prevent terrorists and criminals from purchasing guns. The Preserving Records of Terrorist & Criminal Transactions (PROTECT) Act of 2008 (S.2935) will require the FBI to keep records of gun purchases by terror suspects for a minimum of ten years and preserve data generated from background checks for all gun … Continue Reading
04.28.08
Reed and Whitehouse Secure $500,000 to Revitalize Newport's Working Waterfront and Bolster RI's Marine Industry
NEWPORT, RI -- U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today joined leaders of the state's marine industry at the International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS) to announce new federal funding they secured to strengthen Rhode Island's marine heritage and revitalize Newport's working waterfront. Reed and Whitehouse secured $500,000 in the 2008 Appropriations spending bill to expand the school's facilities for marine vocational training and help provide sustainable careers for more Rhode Islander… Continue Reading
04.24.08
Senate Democrats Ask DOJ to Enforce Laws Facilitating Voter Registration
Washington, D.C. - With November's elections drawing closer, several members of the Senate Judiciary Committee expressed concern today that the Department of Justice has failed to enforce a landmark law designed to help Americans register to vote. In a letter to Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) noted that DOJ has vigorously… Continue Reading
04.17.08
Casey, Whitehouse Urge Mukasey to Correct Remarks on FISA Safeguards
WASHINGTON, D.C.-U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey expressing concern over a statement he made, which appears to be inaccurate, regarding Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) safeguards. In the letter, Senators Casey and Whitehouse asked Attorney General Mukasey to correct remarks he made on March 27, 2008 in San Francisco, CA that implied that FISA safeguards may have stopped the U.S. governmen… Continue Reading
04.16.08
Bush Speech on Climate Change Doesn't Go Far Enough, Whitehouse Says
Washington, D.C. - President Bush's remarks today on the nation's global warming policy fall far short of the urgent action Rhode Islanders have demanded, said U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee who has sponsored legislation to address the impact of climate change on coastal communities and wildlife. The President today said the United States should halt increases in greenhouse gas emissions by 2025, but did not… Continue Reading
04.15.08
Whitehouse: Rhode Islanders Should Take Time to Talk with Family About End-of-Life Medical Decisions
Washington, D.C. - Rhode Islanders should set aside time to talk with their families about how they wish to be cared for at the end of life, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) said today. Whitehouse cosponsored a bipartisan resolution (S.J. Res. 29) supporting the goals and ideals of National Health Care Decisions Day, which will be recognized for the first time on April 16, 2008. "End-of-life medical decisions are undoubtedly among the most challenging subjects a family will ev… Continue Reading
04.15.08
Reed and Whitehouse Announce $130,000 for Prisoner Reentry Initiative
WASHINGTON, DC - In an effort to help female ex-offenders find jobs and transition back into the community, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today announced that the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC) will receive a two-year $134,434 federal award for its Prisoner Reentry Initiative. This federal funding will be used by RIDOC to provide sentenced female offenders with job placement assistance, job retention, and job coaching as well as mentorin… Continue Reading
04.15.08
At Cambodian New Year, Whitehouse, Reed Introduce Resolution Honoring “Killing Fields” Survivor Dith Pran
Washington, D.C. - As Rhode Island's Cambodian community celebrates Cambodian New Year, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Jack Reed (D-RI) today introduced a Senate resolution honoring Dith Pran, one of the most dedicated and outspoken advocates for human rights in Cambodia. Pran was the photojournalist whose heroism during the genocide perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge regime was documented in the Academy Award-winning 1984 film "The Killing Fields." He passed away on March 30th after a … Continue Reading
04.10.08
President Bush Must Begin Bringing Troops Home from Iraq, Whitehouse Says
Washington, D.C. - President Bush's refusal to say when American troops will come home from Iraq leaves America less safe and adds to the already-immense burdens facing service members and their families, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) said today. Whitehouse, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence who traveled to Iraq a year ago, reiterated his belief that an announcement that the United States plans to redeploy its forces is the strongest weapon at our dispo… Continue Reading
04.10.08
EPA Must Review Legal Process to Root Out Political Influence, Whitehouse Tells Nominee
Washington, D.C. - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must undertake a thorough, comprehensive review of the process by which the agency makes decisions to determine whether Bush administration officials have put political considerations above science and the law, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) said today at a confirmation hearing for the nominee to be EPA's general counsel. "The fact that the courts of the United States have felt compelled to characterize the position… Continue Reading
04.09.08
Eligible Rhode Islanders Should File for Earned Income Tax Credit, Whitehouse Urges
Washington, D.C. - With the April 15th tax filing deadline now less than a week away, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) encouraged Rhode Islanders who may be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to file for this important tax benefit. Whitehouse urged those who have not yet filed a return or are unsure of their eligibility for the credit to call 1-800-829-1040 for information on free tax preparation services, available across Rhode Island through an Internal Revenue … Continue Reading
04.07.08
Rhode Island to Receive $1.8 Million to Clean Up Brownfields
WASHINGTON, DC - In an effort to protect the health and well being of Rhode Islanders and redevelop former industrial sites, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse today announced $1.6 million to help clean up brownfields in communities across the state. A brownfield site is property where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Woonsocket, Providence Community Health Centers, Rhode I… Continue Reading
03.31.08
Whitehouse Says America Needs a New HUD Secretary Who Will Put Homeowners First
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) issued the following statement in response to the resignation today of Alphonso Jackson, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): "Secretary Jackson's resignation amidst allegations of corruption shows once again the culture of the Bush Administration putting cronyism and partisanship before responsible governance. From 'Heckuva Job, Brownie' to former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to Jackson,… Continue Reading
03.08.08
Whitehouse: Bush Veto of Torture Ban Endangers Troops, Damages America's Moral Standing
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee and cosponsor of a measure that would ban the use of waterboarding and other extreme interrogation techniques by America's intelligence agencies, responded today to President Bush's announcement that he has vetoed the bill: "Unfortunately, President Bush has once again refused to send the clear message the world awaits that the United States of America does not torture. "The House and Senat… Continue Reading
03.06.08
Senate Committee Votes to Prioritize Oceans and Coastal Areas in Federal Budget
Washington, D.C. - The Senate Budget Committee today unanimously passed an amendment sponsored by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) to support investments in America's oceans and coasts as part of the Senate's proposed FY 2009 budget resolution. "For us in the Ocean State, protecting our marine and coastal ecosystems isn't just a priority - it's a mission," said Whitehouse, a member of the budget panel who also sits on the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee. "We need to do… Continue Reading
03.06.08
Senate Budget Committee Approves Bipartisan Stabenow-Whitehouse Health IT Amendment
Washington, DC - Improved health information technology, including better-integrated records for service members returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan, won inclusion in the Senate's budget resolution today with the passage of a bipartisan amendment sponsored by U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). The measure, which creates a reserve fund supporting widespread adoption of health information technology and accepted best practices in clinical settings, was cospons… Continue Reading
03.06.08
Senate Committee Passes Budget Targeting Economy, Veterans
Washington, D.C. - The budget resolution passed today by the Senate Budget Committee will increase funding for veterans, schools, and transportation infrastructure and provide for a second economic stimulus package to help working families facing continued financial hardship, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) said today. Whitehouse, a member of the panel, voted to approve the measure, an annual resolution setting funding parameters and priorities for the federal government that was reported… Continue Reading
02.27.08
Senate Committee Considers Whitehouse Bill on Voting Rights
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) testified today before the Senate Rules and Administration Committee on legislation he has introduced that would combat a voter-suppression tactic called "vote caging." The Caging Prohibition Act (S. 2305), introduced last November, would, among other things, prohibit "vote caging." Caging is a voter suppression tactic in which a campaign sends mail marked "do not forward" or "return to sender" to a targeted group of voters - often mi… Continue Reading
02.27.08
Whitehouse Slams Bush Official’s Stonewalling on Pollution Controls
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) sharply questioned the Bush administration's top environment official at a Senate committee hearing today on his refusal to answer questions about his denial of a request by California, Rhode Island and other states to set tough restrictions on pollution. Documents released yesterday by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, appear to show that EPA Administrator Stephen L.… Continue Reading
02.22.08
Durbin and Whitehouse: Justice Department is Investigating Torture Authorization
Washington, DC - In response to a request by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), the Justice Department has announced it has launched an investigation of the role of top DOJ officials and staff attorneys in authorizing and/or overseeing the use of waterboarding by U.S. intelligence agencies. The investigation is being carried out by the Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), which is responsible for investigating employees of the DOJ who… Continue Reading
