Press Releases
Twenty Senators Urge Extension of Comment Period on Pruitt Rule to Favor Industry-Backed Science
Washington, DC - Twenty Senators are asking Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt to extend the deadline for weighing in on a proposed rule that would dramatically shrink the body of scientific knowledge the EPA can use in crafting public health and environmental protections. Pruitt's proposal would apply new "transparency" standards to block medical studies, clinical reports, and other rigorous, peer-reviewed scientific research based on health-related data that cann… Continue Reading
05.14.18
Inspector General Contradicts Pruitt Testimony about Threats
Washington, DC - In a letter sent to Senators Tom Carper (D-DE) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Inspector General called into question EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt's testimony during two House hearings on April 26 that threats against him have been "unprecedented in terms of quantity and type." Carper and Whitehouse had written to the Inspector General on May 2 asking for an explanation for whether the EPA's internal watchdog has formally signed … Continue Reading
05.11.18
Whitehouse Bestows Bronze Star on Vietnam Hero
Washington, DC - Today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse conferred a Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" device upon William Balzano of Charlestown for his actions in Vietnam as a member of the United States Marine Corps. The ceremony took place in the Ballroom at the Providence G before dozens of Balzano's family, friends, and fellow servicemembers. "I am honored to bestow this long-overdue honor on Lance Corporal Balzano," said Whitehouse. "His actions in Vietnam are a study in bravery and selflessn… Continue Reading
05.08.18
Whitehouse Statement on Trump Decision to Withdraw from Iran Nuclear Deal
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the following statement on President Donald Trump's decision to back out of the Iran nuclear deal: "This is a reckless - and, it appears, reflexive - decision. The President's refusal to waive sanctions puts the United States in violation of the nuclear agreement, moves the United States away from our allies, and reopens a path for Iran to obtain the nuclear arms it seeks. It also undermines our efforts to build international pressur… Continue Reading
05.08.18
Whitehouse-Portman Behavioral Health IT Bill Clears Senate
Washington, DC - The Senate has passed the bipartisan Improving Access to Behavioral Health Information Technology Act to help behavioral health care providers - like psychologists and psychiatric hospitals - adopt electronic health records. The bill was introduced in August by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Rob Portman (R-OH), and is cosponsored by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). The legislation would authorize the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to… Continue Reading
05.05.18
Whitehouse Thanks Local Veterans at 11th Annual Breakfast
Pawtucket, RI - More than two hundred military veterans and their family members from across Rhode Island this morning sat down with U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse for conversation over eggs and bacon at his eleventh annual veterans breakfast and resource fair. The event was held at the Portuguese Social Club in Pawtucket. "I look forward to hosting this breakfast and resource fair for veterans and their families every year," said Whitehouse. "It's a small gesture to express gratitude to the… Continue Reading
05.02.18
Carper, Whitehouse Sound Alarm about Thousands of Pages of Unreleased Communications between Pruitt and Special Interests
Washington, DC - In a letter sent to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt and federal ethics officials today, Senators Tom Carper (D-DE) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) called attention to at least 3,100 pages of unreleased communications between Pruitt, fossil fuel companies, and other special interests now with business before the EPA. These documents, the Senators write, may call into question Pruitt's ability to do his job impartially as required by federal administrativ… Continue Reading
05.01.18
Carper, Whitehouse Call for Hearing on Lobbyist Friend Planning Pruitt’s Morocco Trip
Washington, DC - Senators Tom Carper (D-DE) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the following statement on a report that EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt's December trip to Morocco was arranged by a longtime friend and lobbyist, who has since won a $40,000-a-month contract to help the Moroccan government promote its cultural and economic interests. It was also revealed today that the trip cost roughly $100,000, well above what was previously known. "We have been pushing for answers on Adminis… Continue Reading
04.28.18
Senate Declares April 29-May 5 National Senior Corps Week
Washington, DC -The U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan resolution introduced by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) declaring April 29 through May 5, 2018, National Senior Corps Week in recognition of the contributions of the more than 220,000 senior volunteers across the country. "This week we honor the hundreds of thousands of seniors across the nation, including thousands of in Rhode Island, who want to make our nation a better place," said Whitehouse. "Investing in progr… Continue Reading
04.27.18
Whitehouse Announces Opposition to Haspel Nomination for CIA Director
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today announced his opposition to the nomination of Gina Haspel to lead the Central Intelligence Agency: "Torture is disqualifying. It is disqualifying for those who commit the act of violence. It is disqualifying for those who give the order, follow the order, or supply the pretext for the order. And it is disqualifying for those who help to cover it up. "We know Ms. Haspel was a willing participant in one of the darkest episodes in the C… Continue Reading
04.26.18
Shaheen, Whitehouse Send Letters to Major Banks Requesting Details on Action Taken Following The Trump Administration’s Publication of Russian “Oligarchs List”
(Washington, DC)-U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) of the Senate Judiciary and Finance committees, recently sent letters to eight major American and European financial institutions requesting details on any actions taken following the Trump administration's publication of the so-called "Oligarchs List," a list of wealthy Russians with close ties to the Kremlin. The senators sent letters to B… Continue Reading
04.25.18
Whitehouse Demands to Know Whether EPA Air Official Is Recused from Deciding Fate of Former Clients
Washington, DC - In a letter to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) demanded to know what regulatory work the head of EPA's Office of Air and Radiation William Wehrum is recused from. Wehrum is a former white-shoe attorney who represented utilities and corporate interests that the EPA polices, some of which are engaged in litigation against the EPA to try to roll back critical air protections. As part of his ethics agreement with the agency, Wehrum stipulate… Continue Reading
04.24.18
RI Delegation Announces Second $2.1 Million Round of Federal Funding for RI Opioid Response
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced $2.1 million in federal funding for Rhode Island's Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH) to stem the opioid epidemic that claimed the lives of hundreds of Rhode Islanders last year. The funding is part of a second $485 million round of grants nationwide that was authorized in 2016 by Congress in the 21st Century Cures Ac… Continue Reading
04.24.18
Carper, Whitehouse Raise New Questions about Pruitt Security Chief’s Side Gig
Washington, DC - Today, Senators Tom Carper (D-DE) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) asked the EPA's Designated Agency Ethics Official Kevin Minoli to detail his office's approval of outside employment for Administrator Scott Pruitt's head of security, Pasquale "Nino" Perrotta, and other EPA employees. The Senators point out that the authorization EPA used to defend Perrotta's side job appears to violate EPA's regulations governing outside employment. Not only has the authorization expired, it doe… Continue Reading
04.24.18
Hatch, Whitehouse Introduce Legislation to Empower DEA’s Regulation of SARMs
Washington, DC- US Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced the SARMs Control Act of 2018. Selective androgen receptor modulators, or SARMs, are synthetic drugs designed to mimic the effects of testosterone. This bipartisan bill builds on the success of the Designer Anabolic Steroids Control Act of 2014 by extending the Drug Enforcement Administration's authority to regulate anabolic steroids to include SARMs. SARMs are associated with serious safety concerns, includ… Continue Reading
04.23.18
Concordia Fibers’ Randal Spencer to Join Whitehouse for Macron Address
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today announced that Randal Spencer, President and CEO of Coventry-based Concordia Fibers, will join him for French President Emmanuel Macron's address to a joint session of Congress tomorrow morning. Concordia Fibers, which manufactures sophisticated yarns and fibers that are incorporated into composite materials and a diverse range of products, recently expanded its operations with a new plant in Commercy, France. "I'm pleased that Randal will… Continue Reading
04.23.18
Whitehouse Kicks Off Democrats’ Push to Reveal Koch Brothers and Front Groups’ Infiltration of Trump Administration
Washington, DC - Today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) kicked off a series of speeches on the Senate floor to shine a light on the Koch brothers' network of front groups pushing policies in Washington to enrich special interests and sowing doubt in the public debate on issues vital to the American people. Throughout the week, Whitehouse and Democratic colleagues are outlining how this #WebofDeceit has infiltrated the Trump administration and is swamping the interests of everyday Americans. … Continue Reading
04.23.18
Whitehouse Marks Earth Day with Call to End Plastic Pollution
Middletown, RI - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today joined leading local environmental advocates to mark Earth Day with a call to end the plastic pollution filling the oceans, washing up on the shoreline, clogging nets of Rhode Island fishermen, and starving wildlife. The event took place on the grounds of Clean Ocean Access, a Middletown nonprofit focused on eliminating marine debris and improving the health of the coastline. "This Earth Day, it is more important than ever that all of us i… Continue Reading
04.20.18
Senate Democrats Call on President, Cabinet to Reveal Koch Infiltration of Trump Administration
Washington, DC - In a series of letters, Senate Democrats are demanding answers from President Donald Trump and cabinet officials about the Koch brothers' sweeping infiltration of the Trump administration. The Senators' demands are based on a December report to the wealthy donors of the Kochs' Seminar Network detailing a series of policy wins benefitting Koch businesses and the billionaires themselves. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), … Continue Reading
04.19.18
Inspector General to Investigate Pruitt’s Unprecedented Use of EPA Security Detail on Personal Travel
Washington, DC - The EPA Inspector General will investigate Administrator Scott Pruitt's use of his official security detail on personal trips to Disneyland, the Rose Bowl, and college basketball games. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) requested the investigation in a March 20 letter after obtaining six weeks of schedules and other documents providing snapshots of Pruitt's unprecedented use of his taxpayer-funded security detail. Whitehouse's request also noted that multiple sources have indi… Continue Reading
