Press Releases
Whitehouse Leads Charge to Compel SCOTUS Ethics Reform Through Appropriations Process
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Courts Subcommittee, is leading fourteen senators in calling on the Senate Appropriations Committee to include language in the FY2024 appropriations bill directing the Supreme Court to adopt binding, transparent, and enforceable ethics rules. The senators' effort comes as the Supreme Court has refused to investigate multiple allegations of unethical conduct at the Court. The Court's failure to adopt basic eth… Continue Reading
03.31.23
Whitehouse, Colleagues Introduce “No Check, No Sale” Bill to Close the Charleston Loophole
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) this week joined Democratic colleagues to introduce legislation to close a current loophole that allows gun sales to proceed if a background check is not completed within a certain time period, even if the gun buyer is not legally allowed to purchase a gun. The gap in existing law has allowed thousands of gun sales to prohibited buyers, including the sale of the firearm used by the shooter in the deadly attack at Charleston's Emanuel AME… Continue Reading
03.31.23
Sen. Whitehouse, Rep. Eshoo Reintroduce Bill to Stop Excessively Loud Commercials
Washington, D.C. -Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Representative Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) yesterday reintroduced the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Modernization Act, bicameral legislation that would update the CALM Act, a law enacted in 2010 to limit the loudness of TV ads. The CALM Modernization Act extends the CALM Act's prohibitions to all ad-supported streaming services to ensure that the volume of commercials on streaming services is not louder than regular programm… Continue Reading
03.29.23
Whitehouse Votes to Repeal Iraq War Authorizations
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today joined colleagues from both sides of the aisle in voting to repeal the Iraq Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMF) of 1991 and 2002. The decades-old authorizations have left open the ability for a president to engage in military action in Iraq without seeking new permission from Congress. Whitehouse released the following statement after the vote: "Our country was mired in a misguided war in Iraq when I ran for Senate in… Continue Reading
03.28.23
After Whitehouse Spotlights Loopholes, Federal Judiciary Announces Tightening of Personal Hospitality Exceptions, Strengthening Ethics Standards for Justices & Judges
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Courts Subcommittee, today released a letter from the Administrative Office of the Courts that confirms the Judicial Conference of the United States has adopted new, stricter rules requiring far more disclosure of free trips, meals, and other "hospitality" accepted by federal judges and Supreme Court justices. The Administrative Office's announcement comes in response to Whitehouse's letter last month call… Continue Reading
03.22.23
Whitehouse, Quigley Reintroduce Bill to Modernize the Nation’s Electric Grid
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL) today introduced the Streamlining Interstate Transmission of Electricity (SITE) Act, a bill to improve the process of constructing long range, inter-regional high voltage transmission lines throughout the United States. "If we don't build more long-range transmission lines, much of the low-cost clean energy that is coming online will simply not be able to get to the homes and businesses that ne… Continue Reading
03.22.23
Blumenthal & Whitehouse Introduce Junk Fee Prevention Act to End Unfair Surprise Costs for Consumers
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced new legislation to eliminate excessive fees and bring transparency to the marketplace as hidden fees cost Americans billions of dollars annually. Today's introduction of the Junk Fee Prevention Act follows calls from President Joe Biden during his State of the Union address. The legislation would eliminate excessive, hidden, and unnecessary fees imposed on consumers and require full prices of serv… Continue Reading
03.21.23
Sen. Whitehouse & Rep. Johnson Release Correspondence with Michael Chertoff Regarding Dobbs Leak Investigation
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Congressman Hank Johnson (D-GA) today released their correspondence with Michael Chertoff, Executive Chairman of The Chertoff Group, regarding the Supreme Court's internal investigation into the leak of the draft opinion in the Dobbs case. The Chertoff Group, a security firm that had previously been hired as a contractor for the Supreme Court, was again brought on by the Court to assess the quality of the Court's internal investigation… Continue Reading
03.20.23
Whitehouse Applauds Biden Veto of Fossil Fuel-Backed Attack on Free Market Capitalism
Washington, D.C. - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, today cheered President Joe Biden's veto of a fossil fuel-funded push to reverse a Department of Labor rule that allows fiduciaries to consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles in retirement plan investing. "MAGA Republicans and their fossil fuel overlords want Americans to believe that an epidemic of woke-ism has hit America's fiduciary financial institutions. Not true. The tr… Continue Reading
03.17.23
Reed, Whitehouse, Cicilline Celebrate Victories to Lower Rx Drug Costs and Raise Awareness for New $35-Monthly Cap on Insulin for RI Seniors
Cumberland, RI - In a major win for millions of diabetic Americans who need insulin to live and have been paying inflated prices for years, French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi - one of the top three insulin manufacturers for the U.S. - announced it will follow suit with its two major competitors by slashing the list price for its most prescribed insulin product by 78 percent. In agreeing to expand the capping of insulin prices at $35 per month for uninsured people and those with private insuranc… Continue Reading
03.17.23
Reed, Whitehouse, Cicilline Celebrate Victories to Lower Rx Drug Costs and Raise Awareness for New $35-Monthly Cap on Insulin for RI Seniors
Cumberland, RI - In a major win for millions of diabetic Americans who need insulin to live and have been paying inflated prices for years, French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi - one of the top three insulin manufacturers for the U.S. - announced it will follow suit with its two major competitors by slashing the list price for its most prescribed insulin product by 78 percent. In agreeing to expand the capping of insulin prices at $35 per month for uninsured people and those with private insuranc… Continue Reading
03.16.23
U.S. Senators to IRS & Treasury: Target Funds to Protect Taxpayer Rights and Restore Tax Enforcement on High-Income Individuals and Large Corporations
WASHINGTON, DC - In an effort to keep taxes low for all Americans and crack down on wealthy tax cheats and illegal corporate tax avoidance schemes, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joined 19 of their Senate colleagues in signing a letter, led by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Angus King (I-ME), to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Daniel Werfel and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, expressing strong support for Secretary Yellen's directive for the IRS n… Continue Reading
03.16.23
Whitehouse, Grassley, Wyden, Rubio, Warren Push FinCEN to Improve Implementation of Corporate Transparency Act
Washington, DC - Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) submitted a comment to the Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) raising concerns about its latest proposed rule implementing the most important anti-money laundering reform law in two decades, the Corporate Transparency Act. The Corporate Transparency Act was the result of years of policymaking and debate, and the senators a… Continue Reading
03.15.23
Whitehouse Highlights Coming Changes That Will Lower Drug Costs for Seniors
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joined 21 senators in a request to the Biden administration, putting a spotlight on the pending Inflation Reduction Act provisions that will lower prescription drug prices for seniors who take Medicare Part B drugs. "Our Inflation Reduction Act will soon be lowering prescription drug and health care costs for Rhode Islanders," said Senator Whitehouse. "We're calling on the Biden Administration to implement the IRA's drug pricing provision… Continue Reading
03.14.23
On Equal Pay Day, Reed & Whitehouse Call for Passage of Paycheck Fairness Act
Washington, DC - On Equal Pay Day, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are calling on Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation that would combat wage discrimination and help close the wage gap by strengthening the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and ensuring women can challenge pay discriminations and hold employers accountable. The legislation is led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) and cosponsored by Reed and Whitehouse. E… Continue Reading
03.11.23
ICYMI: Whitehouse and Weihl Op-Ed Calls Out U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Continued Climate Obstruction
Washington, DC - In case you missed it, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and ClimateVoice founder Bill Weihl published an op-ed in The Hill slamming the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for doing the bidding of Big Oil and actively working to sink meaningful climate legislation. The Chamber's long habit of obstruction has continued in concert with its attempt to greenwash its hostility to effective climate policy. "Much has changed in Congress over the past decade - but the U.S. Chamber of Commerce i… Continue Reading
03.10.23
As Rhode Islanders Get Ready to Spring Forward, Whitehouse Renews Effort to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent
Providence, R.I. - As Rhode Islanders prepare to set their clocks ahead an hour this weekend, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse is urging Congress to pass his bipartisan Sunshine Protection Act, a bill to make Daylight Saving Time permanent nationwide. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced the bill earlier this month. Whitehouse has been a cosponsor of the bill each Congress since 2019. "It's time for Congress to find consensus and free Rhode Islanders from the unnecessary practice of chan… Continue Reading
03.08.23
Reed, Whitehouse Join Colleagues to Introduce Legislation to Restore and Protect Americans’ Right to an Abortion Nationwide
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joined Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and 44 Senate colleagues in introducing the Women's Health Protection Act of 2023, federal legislation to guarantee access to abortion care nationwide and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans. The bill's introduction follows the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, wh… Continue Reading
03.06.23
Senators Warren, Whitehouse, Representatives Goldman, Raskin, and 47 Colleagues Urge SEC to Finalize Strong Climate Risk Disclosure Rule, Protect Investors
Text of Letter (PDF) Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Representatives Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) and Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and 47 of their colleagues sent a letter to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Gary Gensler, urging him to protect investors and finalize a strong climate disclosure rule without further delay. The rule would require public companies to disclose details about their emissions and climate-related risks. "C… Continue Reading
03.06.23
Senator Whitehouse and Governor McKee Push for Robust Federal Investment in Child Care Programs and Workforce
Providence, RI - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Governor Dan McKee today joined with child care providers from the Meeting Street School and Rhode Island child care advocates to rally support for comprehensive federal child care legislation that would boost Rhode Island's investment in child care affordability, access, and workforce retention. "Increasing access to affordable child care would help keep the youngest Rhode Islanders safe and on track for success while strengthening our econo… Continue Reading
