Press Releases
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
06.08.21
Senate Judiciary Courts Subcommittee Requests Information from DOJ, U.S. Marshals Service on Supreme Court Travel Records
Washington, DC - Today, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and John Kennedy (R-LA), Chair and Ranking Member, respectively, of the Senate Judiciary Courts Subcommittee, asked the Attorney General and the Director of the U.S. Marshals Service for records to help lawmakers assess transparency requirements for gifts, travel, and other emoluments received by Supreme Court justices. The Marshals Service provides security to justices during their travels outside Washington, and has records that could … Continue Reading
06.03.21
Reed & Whitehouse Join Menendez in Introducing Legislation to Ban Offshore Drilling, Protect Coastal Economy
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) have joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) to introduce the Clean Ocean and Safe Tourism (COAST) Anti-Drilling Act to permanently ban offshore oil and gas drilling in the Atlantic Ocean and protect recovering coastal economies decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic. "Offshore drilling in the Atlantic Ocean would open up the eastern seaboard to considerable risk, and we have seen the destruction that an accident can c… Continue Reading
06.02.21
Reed, Whitehouse Press Sec. Blinken to Take Urgent Action on Gaza Humanitarian Crisis
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joined Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and 14 of their Democratic Senate colleagues urging U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to immediately take steps to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The 17 U.S. Senators penned a joint letter urging Secretary Blinken to support immediate emergency relief and humanitarian access, robustly fund humanitarian efforts, and restore the U.S. diplomatic presence on the ground. Van H… Continue Reading
05.28.21
Whitehouse Statement on January 6th Commission Vote
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on Republicans' refusal today to allow consideration of legislation to establish a national commission to investigate the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol Complex. "I am deeply disappointed Mitch McConnell and so many other Republicans voted to block this bipartisan measure. The American people deserve a full accounting of the events of January 6, from th… Continue Reading
05.27.21
Whitehouse Votes to Advance Highway Bill to Invest $1.5 Billion in RI Roads and Bridges
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse yesterday voted to advance to the Senate floor the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 2021, which would send Rhode Island more than $1.5 billion in federal funding to repair highways, roads, and bridges over five years. The bipartisan legislation was unanimously approved by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. "I helped craft this federal highway bill to direct more than $1.5 billion to Rhode Island for upgrading our ro… Continue Reading
05.27.21
Federal Delegation Reminds Rhode Islanders that COVID-19 Vaccines and Tests Are Free for Everyone
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today reminded Rhode Islanders that COVID-19 vaccines and testing continue to be available free of charge to everyone, regardless of insurance status. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced this week that the agency has set aside $4.8 billion from the American Rescue Plan to reimburse health care providers for administering COVID-19 testing free of charge … Continue Reading
05.26.21
Whitehouse, Brown Cheer New Public Option Push
Washington, DC - Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) applauded the announcement today by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) of plans to develop a bill to establish a public option for health coverage. Whitehouse and Brown led efforts to include a public option in the Affordable Care Act, and have introduced public option legislation in every Congre… Continue Reading
05.26.21
Whitehouse Innovation, Aviation Fuel Amendments Included in Major Clean Energy Tax Bill
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) applauded inclusion of two of his amendments in the Clean Energy for America Act, which the Senate Finance Committee voted to advance today. One Whitehouse proposal is based in bipartisan legislation by Whitehouse and Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-ID) to encourage innovation in the clean energy sector, and the other is a tax incentive for the use of clean aviation fuel. "My amendments will help to encourage the clean energy inv… Continue Reading
05.24.21
Whitehouse Announces New Series of Speeches to Reveal the Special-Interest Scheme to Capture the Supreme Court
Washington, DC - Today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Courts Subcommittee, announced a series of Senate floor speeches exposing the scheme by right-wing donor interests to capture the U.S. Supreme Court and achieve through the Court's power what they cannot through other branches of government. Whitehouse will trace the decades-long roots of the scheme, its development and funding, and its coming to fruition under Donald Trump with the installation of a six-jus… Continue Reading
05.20.21
Whitehouse Statement on the Passing of Former Mayor Joseph Solomon
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today issued the following statement on the passing of former Warwick Mayor Joseph Solomon: "I am very sad to hear that former Mayor Joe Solomon passed away this morning. Joe dedicated much of his life to serving the people of Warwick, moving up through the ranks on the City Council and eventually into the Mayor's Office. Joe had a warm smile and was always quick to offer a kind word. I send heartfelt condolences to his wife, Cynthia, and their… Continue Reading
05.18.21
Whitehouse Urges Biden SCOTUS Commission to Address Special-Interest Assault on the Supreme Court
Washington, DC - Senate Judiciary Courts Subcommittee Chairman Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released a letter he sent today to members of President Biden's Commission on the Supreme Court highlighting key questions about special-interest influence over the Court. Whitehouse has made clear the Commission cannot achieve meaningful reform, nor restore Americans' faith in the Court's integrity, without fully investigating and understanding the question of dark money's efforts to capture the Court. Sen… Continue Reading
05.17.21
On Tax Day, Whitehouse Introduces ‘Buffett Rule’ Bill to Ensure the Wealthiest Americans Pay a Fair Share in Taxes
Washington, DC - Billionaire investor Warren Buffett has said he pays a lower percentage of his income in taxes than his secretary. As millions of Americans file their taxes today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chair of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight, introduced his legislation to fix this problem. Whitehouse's Paying a Fair Share Act would ensure multi-millionaire and billionaire taxpayers like Warren Buffett pay at least a 30 percent effective tax rate. "Ou… Continue Reading
05.14.21
Senate Judiciary Dems Press DOJ to Not Appeal Federal Court Decision Ordering Release of Key OLC Memo Related to Mueller Report
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights; and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee; today led Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland expressing serious concerns about the Trump-era Department of Justice's (DOJ) apparent misrepresentations to a federal court regarding an … Continue Reading
05.13.21
Whitehouse Calls for Swift Action on Climate Following Release of New EPA Climate Data
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement on the new data released by the EPA showing dramatic effects of climate change in the United States. "The data doesn't lie: the EPA's new report shows society pushing nature to its limit. Either we act now, or we risk failing the critical test of 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming and lock in ever-worsening threats. Against this backdrop, Congres… Continue Reading
