Press Releases
Whitehouse, Rubio, Wyden Legislation to Tackle Money Laundering through High-End Real Estate Clears Senate
Washington, DC - Today, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) succeeded in passing bipartisan legislation to lay the groundwork for expanding a U.S. Department of the Treasury initiative to crack down on foreign nationals laundering money through high-end American real estate. Passed as an amendment to a government funding measure, the senators' legislation requires the Treasury Department to issue a report on its program that collects shell corporations' … Continue Reading
08.01.18
Whitehouse Calls on Trump Administration to Reverse Course on Damaging Proposed Changes to Title X Women’s Health Care Program
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) has joined U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and 43 other senators in a comment to Secretary Alex Azar at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) strongly opposing the Trump Administration's proposal to restrict the Title X family planning program and reduce access to health care for millions of women. The senators called on the Administration to reverse course and revoke its planned changes. "As U.S. Senators, we are deeply con… Continue Reading
07.31.18
Whitehouse, Markey, Merkley Push CEQ Nominee Neumayr for Answers on Ocean Policy
Washington, DC - Senate Oceans Caucus Co-Chair Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and fellow Oceans Caucus members Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) pressed President Donald Trump's nominee to run the White House's Council on Environmental Quality, Mary Neumayr, on her views on important federal initiatives to help protect and manage ocean resources. During her confirmation process, Whitehouse, Markey, and Merkley pressed Neumayr on her views on the Trump administration's new federal ocean… Continue Reading
07.31.18
Time To Wake Up: To Davos or not to Davos
Mr. President, the big oil companies-particularly Exxon, Shell, BP, and Chevron-want us to believe that they've turned over a new leaf, that they're finally in favor of climate action. All four of them claimed to support the Paris Agreement. And Exxon, Shell, and BP all claim to support putting a price on carbon emissions; a price that would reflect the costs of the damage climate change inflicts on the environment, the economy, and public health. For example, here's Exxon's website: "ExxonMo… Continue Reading
07.27.18
Whitehouse Slams Republican Stonewalling of Key Kavanaugh Documents
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding the refusal by Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) to request critical documents related to Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's work as a senior advisor to President George W. Bush: "The current occupant of the Oval Office is under investigation for obstruction of justice and may soon test the Supreme Court on questions of executive powe… Continue Reading
07.27.18
Senators Urge FERC to Heed Long-Term Harm of Carbon Pollution
***READ THE SENATORS' COMMENT LETTER HERE*** Washington, DC - Six senators have lodged a formal argument with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) calling for the Commission to incorporate the social cost of carbon - the measure of carbon pollution's long-term harm - in its evaluation of energy projects around the country. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Brian Schatz (D-HI) filed the of… Continue Reading
07.26.18
Whitehouse Files SCOTUS Brief Defending Americans’ Right to Their Day in Court
***READ THE BRIEF HERE*** Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) - a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and a former Rhode Island Attorney General and U.S. Attorney - has filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the Supreme Court in New Prime, Inc. v. Dominic Oliveira arguing in favor of Americans' right to settle disputes in court. In his brief, Whitehouse details the far-reaching campaign by corporate special interests to erode access to civil court proceedings in favor of f… Continue Reading
07.25.18
RI Receives Nearly $3.9 Million Federal Grant to Aid in Opioid Epidemic Recovery
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline announced that $3,894,875 in National Health Emergency (NHE) Dislocated Worker Demonstration Grant funding is heading to Rhode Island to help curb the threat of opioid addiction and overdose. Rhode Island is one of six states set to receive a share of $22 million awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor to provide reemployment services for individuals impacted by the h… Continue Reading
07.25.18
Whitehouse and Blumenthal Call for Public Hearings on NRA Role in 2016 Russian Election Interference
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) are urging Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) to hold public hearings with National Rifle Association (NRA) leadership to determine what these NRA officials knew about Russia's attempts to illegally launder money through their organization during the 2016 election cycle. Last week, Maria Butina, a suspected Russian agent, was indicted for her involvement in an alleged conspiracy to "infiltra… Continue Reading
07.24.18
Senators Press DOJ on New Criminal Division Head’s Ethics Agreements, Recusals
Washington, DC - Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) led 14 Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary and Intelligence Committees in asking leaders at the Department of Justice to detail the ethical agreements binding the newly confirmed head of the Department's Criminal Division, Brian Benczkowski. The information would shed light on whether Benczkowski-a nominee noted as uniquely underqualified, who served as an aide to then-Senator Jeff Sessions and on the Trump transi… Continue Reading
07.23.18
Narragansett Fire Department Receives $218K Federal Grant for New Equipment & Rescue Training
Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressman Jim Langevin announced $218,096 in federal funding to help the Narragansett Fire Department purchase needed equipment and provide water rescue training. The funding is being awarded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. The Narragansett Fire Department will use the federal funds to upgrade older manual ambulance stretchers with new power-lift stretchers and w… Continue Reading
07.23.18
Senators Raise Alarm about EPA Nominees Starting Work before Confirmation
Washington, DC - Today, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) pressed two corporate executives tapped to lead offices at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on whether they are skirting the Senate's constitutional advice and consent role and violating federal law by taking jobs as "special counsel to the Administrator" before their confirmation. President Donald Trump has nominated DowDupont lawyer Peter Wright to run the… Continue Reading
07.20.18
Reed, Whitehouse Write in Support of Lowering Nicotine Levels in Cigarettes
Providence, RI - U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joined Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and eleven other Democratic colleagues to submit comments in support of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) recent initiative to reduce the level of nicotine in cigarettes to non-addictive or minimally addictive levels. In the comment letter, the senators encouraged the FDA to expand the initiative to include other tobacco products that serve as a substitute for cigare… Continue Reading
07.19.18
Whitehouse Signals Opposition to Rettig Nomination
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, signaled his opposition to the nomination of Charles Rettig for Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in a Finance Committee hearing today and issued the following statement: "Just this week, the IRS decided to shield from the public some of the biggest special interests spending secret money in our elections. That decision widened an avenue of influence that already allows the likes of t… Continue Reading
07.16.18
Whitehouse Statement on Trump Helsinki Summit Comments
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the following statement on President Donald Trump's comments at today's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland: "The president just stood next to the authoritarian ruler of a hostile power and blamed the state of our bilateral relationship on American 'foolishness.' He refused to hold Russia accountable for interference in the 2016 election, and refused to credit the analysis of the U.S. intelligence commun… Continue Reading
07.13.18
RI Fire Departments Awarded $515k for New Equipment & Protective Gear
CUMBERLAND, RI - Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressman David Cicilline announced a total of $515,034 in federal funding to help three Rhode Island Fire and Rescue Departments purchase life-saving equipment and upgrade their communications and protective gear. Three local fire departments in Cumberland, Lime Rock, and Pawtucket have been awarded federal grants for new equipment that will help them save more lives through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (… Continue Reading
07.13.18
RI Fire Departments Awarded $515k for New Equipment & Protective Gear
CUMBERLAND, RI - Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressman David Cicilline announced a total of $515,034 in federal funding to help three Rhode Island Fire and Rescue Departments purchase life-saving equipment and upgrade their communications and protective gear. Three local fire departments in Cumberland, Lime Rock, and Pawtucket have been awarded federal grants for new equipment that will help them save more lives through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's … Continue Reading
07.13.18
Whitehouse Statement on Indictment of Russian Intelligence Officers
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, released the following statement on the indictment of a dozen Russian intelligence officers for conspiring to disrupt the 2016 election: "It has long been clear that the Russian government hacked and leaked emails during the 2016 presidential campaign. The President's willingness to ignore this - even the findings of his own intelligence community - raises red flags, a… Continue Reading
07.12.18
Whitehouse, Democrats Challenge Republican Attack on NSF Climate Grants
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) led 18 senators in introducing a resolution establishing a sense of the Senate that the National Science Foundation (NSF) should be able to share critical climate science from federal agencies with the public. The resolution follows an unprecedented attack by four Senate Republicans on an NSF grant program that helps to educate TV meteorologists around the country about the science of climate change. Joining Whitehouse in introducing the reso… Continue Reading
07.12.18
Whitehouse Demands Judiciary Committee Hearing on Family Separation
Washington, D.C. - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) has joined Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and seven Senate Democrats to urge Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to convene an oversight hearing on family separation and the Trump administration's haphazard plan to reunite immigrant children with their parents. Whitehouse and Hirono are members of the Judiciary Committee. The senators' letter to Chairman Grassley follows a troubling call last week with Secretary… Continue Reading
