Press Releases
Senators Call on Pruitt to Enforce Methane Rule
Washington, DC - Today, eight Senators called on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt to enforce fully his agency's methane pollution rule. In a letter to Pruitt, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tom Carper (D-DE), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Corey Booker (D-NJ), Al Franken (D-MN), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Tom Udall (D-NM) raised concerns about EPA's announcement to apply the rule restricting methane emissions from new oil and gas wells on a "case by … Continue Reading
09.05.17
McCain, Whitehouse File Brief with Supreme Court in Landmark Gerrymandering Case
Washington, DC - Today, Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are submitting a brief with the Supreme Court in a case that could address wildly partisan gerrymandering of political districts and loosen the grip of special interests on American politics. In their friend-of-the-court brief, the Senators describe the effects of hyper-partisan redistricting and special interest influence in Washington, and call on the Court to adopt a new standard for assessing the constitutiona… Continue Reading
09.05.17
Whitehouse Statement on Rescinding of DACA
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding President Donald Trump's decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which allows undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as minors to remain in their communities without fear of deportation: "This decision is shameful and cruel. These are children of our nation who had no say in coming here. They've studied diligentl… Continue Reading
08.31.17
Senators Call on Pruitt to End Secrecy at EPA
Washington, DC - Six Senators are calling out Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt for running the Agency under a veil of secrecy, possibly violating federal record-keeping laws. In a letter to Pruitt penned today, Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) raise questions about management policies that appear tailor-made to hide Pruitt's involvement with EP… Continue Reading
08.25.17
Whitehouse Statement on Pardon of Arpaio
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) issued the following statement regarding President Donald Trump's pardon of former Maricopa County, AZ, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was found guilty on criminal contempt charges for disobeying a federal court order to stop imprisoning people solely on suspicion of illegal immigration status: "Sheriff Arpaio systemically discriminated against Arizona Latinos in defiance of our Constitution and ignored our courts. He does not deserve a pardon. Now … Continue Reading
08.22.17
Whitehouse Statement on Afghanistan Announcement
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the following statement regarding President Donald Trump's announcement of an increase in troop levels and a new military strategy in Afghanistan: "The President's plan leaves out the details Americans expect from their Commander-in-Chief when proposing an escalation of U.S. military involvement overseas. Putting our troops in harm's way requires a clear statement of the mission and why it justifies the risks we expect the brave men a… Continue Reading
08.22.17
Whitehouse Statement on Passing of Frank Montanaro, Sr.
Newport, RI - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse released the following statement upon the death of Frank J. Montanaro, Sr., a labor leader and Rhode Island's Democratic National Committeeman: "A great Rhode Islander, a local and national labor leader, and a man beloved by friends and firefighters everywhere, Frank Montanaro, has passed away. He was a loyal and unwavering friend, and a firm and principled adversary. My condolences go to his dear family and his many friends." ###… Continue Reading
08.15.17
Whitehouse Statement on President Trump’s Remarks Regarding Violence in Charlottesville
Providence, RI - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today released the following statement on President Trump's remarks regarding the violence in Charlottesville, VA: "Generations of Americans toiled, marched, and bled to defeat the racism that reared its ugly head in Charlottesville this weekend. The Greatest Generation fought, bled and died to defeat the Nazi flag that flew in Charlottesville this weekend. Instead of flatly condemning these monsters of the past, the President equivocated and blows d… Continue Reading
08.09.17
Senators Call on Sessions to Answer for Anti-Affirmative Action Program and to Prevent Discrimination Against Career DOJ Attorneys
Washington, DC - Six Senators wrote to the Attorney General today calling for a commitment to protecting the integrity and independence of the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division. The letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division John Gore follows reports that the Division may undertake anti-affirmative action investigations and troubling signs that the Trump administration is poised to purge career attorneys at the Divisi… Continue Reading
08.07.17
Whitehouse, Heitkamp Urge National Academy of Sciences to Study Removing Carbon Pollution from Oceans
Washington, DC - Today, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) wrote to the National Academy of Sciences to urge that its study of promising new methods of removing carbon pollution from the atmosphere be extended to include removing carbon from our oceans. A comprehensive assessment of direct carbon removal from our oceans would help to face down severe threats from carbon pollution, like ocean acidification, and to drive the development of marketable carbon capture techn… Continue Reading
08.07.17
Whitehouse Presents Bronze Star to Family of Late WWII Hero
Providence, RI - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today delivered a Bronze Star Medal to Barbara Feldman, who was married for 67 years to the late Walter Feldman, a World War II Army veteran who passed away in May at the age of 92. The ceremony took place in Whitehouse's Providence office surrounded by members of the Feldman family. "It is my great honor to present this Bronze Star Medal to Walter's beloved wife Barbara and the Feldman family," said Whitehouse. "While Walter passed on before w… Continue Reading
08.04.17
Langevin, Whitehouse Introduce Bill to Protect Aircraft from Drones
WASHINGTON, D.C.- This week, U.S. Representative Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced the Drone Operator Safety Act, a bill to help protect American air traffic from the misuse of drones. This bill would make it a criminal offense to fly a drone in a way that poses a safety risk to the operation of a manned aircraft. It would also prohibit operators from flying drones near an airport's runways without permission from the airport's air traffic control tower. Vio… Continue Reading
08.04.17
Congressional Delegation Announces $26 Million in Medicare Payments for RI Hospitals
Providence, RI - Seeking to improve patients' access to quality health care at hospitals while protecting a major source of jobs in Rhode Island, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced that hospitals across Rhode Island will receive approximately $26 million in additional Medicare payments following the renewal of a "wage index" adjustment by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). "The additional fe… Continue Reading
08.04.17
Senators Seek to Lay Foundation for School Construction & Modernization
WASHINGTON, DC - As students across the country get set to head back to school in the coming weeks, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) is joining with Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) in introducing new legislation to help rebuild and modernize schools throughout the nation. This week, the Senators introduced the School Building Improve… Continue Reading
08.03.17
Pawtucket, Kingston Awarded Over $2.5 Million SAFER Grant
WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today joined with Pawtucket Mayor Donald R. Grebien to announce that the Pawtucket Fire Department will receive $2,448,938 and the Kingston Fire District will receive $168,100 in federal funding to recruit, hire, train and retain firefighters. The funding was awarded from the the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) competitive Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergen… Continue Reading
08.03.17
Whitehouse, Markey Weigh in on Confirmation of FERC Nominee Neil Chatterjee
Washington, DC - Today, the Senate confirmed Neil Chatterjee as a Commissioner of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) met with Chatterjee before his confirmation to discuss the important role the Commission plays in the growing renewable energy industry. Specifically, the Senators raised the Commission's proposed rulemaking on energy storage and distributed energy resource aggregators, which will help regional energy o… Continue Reading
08.03.17
Senate Clears Bipartisan Bill to Address Marine Debris Crisis
Washington, DC - Today, the Senate unanimously passed bipartisan legislation to address the marine debris epidemic affecting America's oceans, shorelines, and inland waterways, as well as other coasts across the globe. The bill, which was introduced in March by Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Cory Booker (D-NJ), would boost the federal government's domestic and international response to the millions of tons of plastic and other waste that litter our shores, threaten… Continue Reading
08.03.17
Senate Passes Resolution Declaring National Estuaries Week
Washington, DC - Today, the Senate unanimously approved a resolution designating the week of September 16 through September 23, 2017 as National Estuaries Week. Sponsored by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and 28 others, the bipartisan legislation recognizes the importance of coastal and estuarine regions to our national economy. It also reaffirms the Senate's continued support for protecting and restoring these vital resources. "Estuaries are at the center of our economy and way of life in Rhode … Continue Reading
08.03.17
Whitehouse, Portman Introduce Bill to Help Behavioral Health Care Providers Adopt Electronic Health Records
Washington, DC - Today, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced legislation to help behavioral health care providers - like psychologists and psychiatric hospitals - adopt electronic health records. The bill would extend federal incentives to adopt electronic health technology to behavioral health care providers, improving the coordination and quality of care for Americans with mental health, addiction, and other behavioral health care needs. "Good care for people … Continue Reading
08.02.17
Resolution on Lobster Rolls through Senate
WASHINGTON, DC - In recognition of the historic and economic importance of the lobster industry to Rhode Island and other coastal states, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved a resolution designating Monday, September 25, 2017 as "National Lobster Day." The resolution, cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and seven New England colleagues, invites lobster lovers to mark their culinary calendars for the last Monday in September. "This is a fitting tribute to o… Continue Reading
