Press Releases
Whitehouse Statement on President Trump’s Birth Control Rollback
Providence, RI - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today issued the following statement regarding President Trump's new rule allowing employers to opt out of providing birth control coverage to women as part of their health insurance plan: "Women should be able to make their own health care decisions regardless of where they work. The Affordable Care Act advanced women's rights by recognizing that birth control ought to be fully covered by insurance. President Trump's new rule is a step backwards, p… Continue Reading
10.06.17
Whitehouse Speaks Out on Kobach Plan to Narrow Important Voter Protections
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) reacted today to newly unsealed documents related to the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, led by Vice President Mike Pence and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach. Among the documents is a memo by Kobach, the Commission's Vice Chairman, which advocates for weakening vital voter protections under the National Voter Registration Act, including allowing states to seek new "proof of citizenship requirements" for voters. "… Continue Reading
10.05.17
Rhode Island College Wins $1.1 Million U.S. Department of Education Grant
WARWICK, R.I. - U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, and U.S. Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline announced a $1.1 million U.S. Department of Education grant for Rhode Island College (RIC) to provide opportunities for disadvantaged students to pursue doctoral studies. The Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement grant will be distributed over a five-year period to help low-income, first-generation college students prepare for graduate school. The McNair program is one … Continue Reading
10.05.17
Whitehouse Introduces Bills to Close Gun Loopholes, Prevent Mass Shootings
Washington, D.C. - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) this week joined his Democratic colleagues to introduce two measures that would close loopholes in firearms laws and protect Americans from gun violence in the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in the nation's history. "Protecting the American people from another horrific event like what happened in Las Vegas should be a top priority of every member of Congress," said Whitehouse, who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee. "And yet, crim… Continue Reading
10.05.17
Whitehouse, Senators Reintroduce Bipartisan Comprehensive Criminal Justice Reform Package
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) has joined a bipartisan group of senators to reintroduce the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2017 to recalibrate prison sentences for nonviolent drug offenders, target violent and career criminals, and save taxpayer dollars. The legislation permits more judicial discretion at sentencing for offenders with minimal criminal histories and helps inmates successfully reenter society, while tightening penalties for violent criminals and pr… Continue Reading
10.04.17
Whitehouse Slams “Sham” Budget, Calls for Overhaul of Budget Process
Washington, DC - As the Senate Budget Committee begins consideration of Republicans' fiscal year 2018 budget today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) condemned the proposal as a means to force through trillions of dollars in tax cuts for the wealthy using a partisan fast-track process. He also urged his colleagues to reform the budget rules to facilitate bipartisan debate and real solutions to address the $20 trillion national debt. If the budget coming before the panel passes, Whitehouse said… Continue Reading
10.03.17
Whitehouse Leads Helsinki Commission Hearing on Shell Corporations & Authoritarian Regimes
Washington, DC - Today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) chaired a hearing of the Helsinki Commission to examine the European Union's (EU) beneficial ownership transparency provisions and its success in limiting the use of shell corporations as a vector for authoritarian regimes' influence in Europe. "Starting a shell corporation in this country can be easier than getting a library card," said Whitehouse. "The United Kingdom has already implemented its own transparency law. The light of tra… Continue Reading
10.03.17
McCain, Whitehouse Issue Joint Statement Calling on SCOTUS to End Hyper-Partisan Gerrymandering
Washington, DC - With the Supreme Court hearing oral arguments in Whitford v. Gill today, Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), who submitted a friend-of-the-court brief in the case, issued the following statement urging the Court to help end hyper-partisan gerrymandering: The American people do not like gerrymandering. It leaves them feeling powerless and discouraged; that their votes are wasted and voices silenced. They see it rigging our political system to favor speci… Continue Reading
10.03.17
Whitehouse Statement on Clean Power Plan Repeal
Washington, DC - Today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and Co-Chair of the Senate Climate Action Task Force, released the following statement on the Trump Administration's opening of a process to replace the Clean Power Plan: "Not long ago, Donald Trump and his children called climate change 'scientifically irrefutable' and its consequences 'catastrophic' and 'irreversible'. Yet today, Donald Trump's fossil fuel industry lackey,… Continue Reading
10.02.17
Whitehouse Statement on Las Vegas Shooting
Providence, RI - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding the shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada last night: "The horror on the streets of Las Vegas is unimaginable. My heart goes out to the victims of this senseless violence, to their loved ones, and to all those affected. Thank you to the first responders for their brave work. "While we have much to learn about this terrible incident, we know mass shootings are all… Continue Reading
09.29.17
Whitehouse Statement on Republican Budget
Providence, RI - Today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement on Republicans' budget resolution for fiscal year 2018: "For eight years under President Obama, Republicans on the Senate Budget Committee warned that our nation's deficits were unsustainable. With this budget, Republicans have officially abandoned their deficit concerns in favor of massive tax cuts for President Trump, his cabinet members, and other billionaires. This… Continue Reading
09.29.17
Whitehouse, EPW Democrats Ask Secretary Chao for Details on Trump Administration’s Long-Awaited Infrastructure Plan
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), along with the other minority members of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, has requested a meeting with Elaine Chao, Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT), so that she can share details regarding the Trump Administration's long-awaited infrastructure investment plan. At a hearing before the EPW Committee in May, Secretary Chao stated that the Administration's infrastructure principles would be released at the en… Continue Reading
09.29.17
Whitehouse Presses Civil Rights Nominee on Communication with Members of Trump Voter Commission
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) wants an answer from President Donald Trump's choice to run the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division on his possible contacts with members of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity and others who have pushed false claims of widespread voter fraud in American elections. Whitehouse is also disappointed in the nominee's failure to repudiate President Trump's baseless voter fraud claims. On Monday, Trump's nominee for … Continue Reading
09.27.17
Whitehouse Statement on Republican Tax Plan
Washington, DC - Today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement on Republicans' tax reform proposal, which was released today: "Republicans once again seek massive tax breaks for billionaires that would add trillions to the national debt, and threaten Medicare, Social Security, and programs middle-class Rhode Islanders rely on. They don't end incentives that encourage corporations to send American jobs overseas. "You'd think… Continue Reading
09.26.17
Senators Call on Justice Department to Explain Role in Trump Voter Integrity Commission
Washington, DC - Seven Senators in a letter today ask the Department of Justice to explain its coordination with members of President Donald Trump's Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, which has sought sensitive voter roll data on the majority of the voting public and conducted highly partisan hearings based on discredited allegations of voter fraud. The group also raises questions about emails apparently sent to and from the Attorney General's personal email account, including whether t… Continue Reading
09.26.17
Whitehouse Statement on Failure of Republican Health Care Bill
Washington, DC - Today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement concerning the failure of Republicans' most recent attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act: "Senator McConnell has dumped Trump Care for now. Thank goodness. Now, Republicans and Democrats should come together, in a bipartisan fashion and through regular order, to address the challenges facing our health care … Continue Reading
09.26.17
Whitehouse, Neal Introduce Bill to Help Americans Save for Retirement
Washington, DC - Today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced legislation to help millions of Americans save for a financially secure retirement through an automatic payroll deduction Individual Retirement Account, or Auto-IRA. House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA) introduced companion legislation in the House earlier this year. "Only half of American workers are able to save for retirement through their work. That means the other half is missing out on an… Continue Reading
09.26.17
Whitehouse, Warren, Merkley, Reed, Sanders Introduce Bill to Protect Consumers from Abusive Lending
Washington, DC - Today, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced legislation to protect Americans from runaway credit card and other consumer loan interest rates. The Empowering States' Rights to Protect Consumers Act would restore states' ability to limit consumer loan interest rates for their residents and help address the over $1 trillion Americans hold in credit card debt. "Right now, Wall Stree… Continue Reading
09.26.17
Woonsocket Awarded Over $1.5 Million SAFER Grant for Additional Firefighters
WOONSOCKET, RI - In an effort to bolster firefighter response capabilities and keep the community of Woonsocket safe, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressman David Cicilline today joined Woonsocket Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt in announcing $1,535,130 in federal funding to help the Woonsocket Fire Department recruit, hire, train and retain additional firefighters. The funding was awarded from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) competitive Staffing for Adequate F… Continue Reading
09.25.17
Senators Seek Information on Mine Safety Violations by Mine Safety Nominee’s Former Company
Washington, DC - Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Bob Casey (D-PA) are asking the U.S. Department of Labor to produce information on the coal company led by David G. Zatezalo, President Trump's pick for Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health. "Mr. Zatezalo's tenure as a mining executive is checkered with violations of the same health and safety standards he'll be expected to enforce. We need a full account of those violations to ensure he answers the serious questions s… Continue Reading
