Press Releases
Whitehouse Delivers Remarks at Capitol Hill Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide
Washington, DC - Last evening, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse delivered the following remarks at the Capitol Hill Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. The Commemoration marked the 100th anniversary of the Genocide and was attended by members of both the House and Senate. Since taking office in 2007, Whitehouse has cosponsored multiple Senate Resolutions calling on the President to ensure that U.S. foreign policy acknowledges as genocide the killings of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman… Continue Reading
04.16.15
Senate Committee Approves Education Overhaul
Washington, DC - The U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) today approved bipartisan legislation to reform our nation's education system. The bill reauthorizes and updates the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which was last overhauled in 2001 with President Bush's "No Child Left Behind" program. The reauthorization approved today lessens the testing burdens imposed by the Bush program and reduces the federal government's footprint in evaluating te… Continue Reading
04.14.15
Senators Urge Governors to Ignore McConnell, Comply with the Clean Air Act
Washington, D.C. - Last month, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) sent a letter to the Governors of all 50 states urging them to ignore the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean Power Plan. Now a group of U.S. Senators is responding with their own letter to Governors pointing out that McConnell's home state is already crafting a plan to comply with the EPA standards and his actions are at odds with voices from around Kentucky who believe climate change is real and should be addresse… Continue Reading
04.08.15
Whitehouse, Langevin, and Cicilline Lead Economic Development Administration Head on Tour of Rhode Island
Providence, RI - Today, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse hosted the head of the federal Economic Development Administration (EDA), U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Jay Williams, on a day-long tour of Rhode Island. They met with Rhode Island businesses and discussed ways that the EDA could support economic growth and job creation in the state. Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline joined them for the stops in their respective districts. Williams leads the onl… Continue Reading
04.02.15
Sen. Whitehouse Statement on Tentative Iran Nuclear Deal
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the statement below regarding President Obama's announcement that international negotiators have agreed upon a framework for a deal to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon: "As President Obama said today, a diplomatic solution is 'our best option by far' in the effort to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. I will continue to review the developing details of this framework. I commend the President and Secretary Kerr… Continue Reading
04.02.15
Senators Urging Administration to Require Government Contractors to Disclose Political Spending
Washington, DC - Today, on the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court's McCutcheon decision that further eroded the nation's campaign finance laws, a group of U.S. Senators are sending a letter asking the Obama Administration to implement an executive order requiring government contractors to disclose political spending. The letter is signed by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tom Udall (D-NM), Al Franken (D-MN), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). The letter from th… Continue Reading
04.02.15
RI Delegation Announces $1.6 Million for RI Sea Grant
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline announced over $1.6 million in federal funding from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the Rhode Island Sea Grant Program. Rhode Island Sea Grant will use the funds to continue work on the state's Shellfish Management Plan in cooperation with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and the Coastal Resources Management Counci… Continue Reading
03.31.15
Sen. Whitehouse Applauds U.S. Commitment for Greenhouse Gas Reductions
Washington, DC - Today the Obama Administration announced the United States' commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of the global effort to tackle climate change. The commitment comes in advance of the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Paris in December, where countries from around the world will attempt to forge a new international climate agreement. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the statement below regarding the U.S. commitment: "President Obama's commitment… Continue Reading
03.31.15
Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change Leads Letter Supporting International Climate Talks
Washington, D.C. - As the Obama Administration prepares to release its greenhouse gas reduction commitment for the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Paris, the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change is today leading more than 100 Members of Congress on a letter supporting President Obama's international climate efforts. Bicameral Task Force co-chairs Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-IL), Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and… Continue Reading
03.27.15
Sen. Whitehouse Statement on Senate Budget Passage
Washington, DC - Early this morning, the U.S. Senate voted to approve the Republican budget resolution by a vote of 52-46. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Budget Committee, released the statement below regarding the vote: "I voted against the Republican budget proposal because it calls for severe cuts that would dramatically harm Rhode Islanders while protecting every single tax loophole for the rich and powerful. It would slash Medicaid and food stamps, undermine the … Continue Reading
03.27.15
Sen. Whitehouse Statement on Reid Retirement
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the statement below regarding Minority Leader Harry Reid's (D-NV) announcement that he will retire at the end of his term: "History will remember Harry Reid as the tough-minded majority leader who shepherded through the Senate some of the most consequential legislation in generations in the face of withering and unprecedented obstruction from the opposing party. I wish him well in our months ahead together and after his service in… Continue Reading
03.26.15
Bennet, Whitehouse, Manchin, Heitkamp Offer Amendment to Combat Climate Change, Promote Economic and National Security
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Michael Bennet, Sheldon Whitehouse, Joe Manchin and Heidi Heitkamp are offering an amendment to the Senate's budget proposal to promote national security, economic growth, and public health by prioritizing efforts to address climate change. "Colorado can't wait any longer for Washington to address climate change. Unchecked carbon pollution represents a material threat to our state and its economy - whether it's a shorter ski season, the increased threat of wildfir… Continue Reading
03.26.15
Republicans Vote to Protect Dark Money in Elections
Washington, DC - With the Senate debating amendments to this year's budget resolution, Republicans voted against an amendment offered by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and cosponsored by Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) aimed at making it more difficult for corporations and billionaires to secretly influence federal elections through unlimited and undisclosed campaign expenditures - so-called "dark money." The amendment would have facilitated passage of legislation to promote transparency in politic… Continue Reading
03.26.15
Report: Prison Reforms Reduce Racial Disparities in Corrections System
Washington, DC - Today the Council of State Governments released a report on the changing racial composition of prison populations in three states that have implemented reforms to their corrections systems using the Justice Reinvestment approach. The report shows that changes such as improving access to substance use treatment for prisoners, implementing recidivism-reduction programs and incentivizing prisoner participation, and developing risk-assessment tools to identify the best ways to help… Continue Reading
03.26.15
Pro-Climate Senators to Offer Amendments to Budget
Washington, DC - As the Senate continues debating amendments to the proposed budget resolution, and with Republican Senators advocating for amendments that would undermine efforts to protect the environment and public health, a group of pro-climate Senators will offer a series of proposals to push back on those efforts and address the effects of manmade climate change. The following amendments either have been filed or will be filed: Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT): Deficit neutral reserv… Continue Reading
03.24.15
Senators Offering Amendment to Protect Social Security in Budget
Washington, DC - As the Senate continues debating the Republican budget proposal this week, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) will offer an amendment to guard against potential efforts to cut Social Security benefits. The Democratic amendment would establish as "not in order" any budget proposals that would reduce Social Security benefits, increase the retirement age, or privatize Social Security. Senator Whitehouse will speak on the Senate floor at approximately 4:00 p.m. to call up this… Continue Reading
03.23.15
Whitehouse and Reed Announce $168K in Federal Funding for Bradley Hospital
East Providence, RI - During a press conference today at Bradley Hospital in East Providence, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed announced that the hospital will receive $168,354 from the Children's Hospitals Graduate Medical Education (CHGME) Payment Program. The funding was made possible by the CHGME Support Reauthorization Act of 2013, which included a provision authored by Whitehouse to expand the program to include children's psychiatric teaching hospitals. Bradley Hospital f… Continue Reading
03.23.15
Whitehouse and Langevin Fighting to Protect Social Security Disability Benefits
Providence, RI - Today U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressman Jim Langevin held a roundtable discussion at Community Action Partnership of Providence to hear about the need to protect the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. Whitehouse and Langevin were joined by State Senator Donna Nesselbush, a leading disability attorney and advocate in the state, as well as SSDI recipients, disability groups, representatives from the Social Security Administration, and Melissa Husban… Continue Reading
03.19.15
Whitehouse Adds Two Amendments to Budget
Washington, DC - Today the Senate Budget Committee debated the proposed Republican budget resolution and voted on a series of amendments. Among the amendments adopted by the committee was a measure by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) intended to ensure that tax expenditures are accounted for in the budget. The Committee also adopted a second Whitehouse amendment to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund to enhance the preparedness of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to address… Continue Reading
03.18.15
Whitehouse Slams Senate GOP’s “Unreal” Budget
Washington, D.C. - Today Senate Republicans introduced a budget proposal that would protect every single tax loophole for the wealthy and well-connected while slashing funding for the programs that help the most vulnerable Rhode Islanders. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Budget Committee, released the statement below regarding the proposal: "The Republican budget proposal relies on accounting gimmicks to achieve balance within ten years, and calls for severe cuts that… Continue Reading
