Press Releases
U.S. Senate Passes Bipartisan Immigration Reform Bill
Washington, DC - The U.S. Senate today passed comprehensive immigration reform legislation with a strong bipartisan vote of 68 to 32. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), who helped craft the legislation as a member of the Judiciary Committee, praised his Senate colleagues for supporting the bill. "Today a strong, bipartisan majority of the United States Senate took a historic step toward fixing our broken immigration system. It's now up to Speaker Boehner and the House to follow our lead,"… Continue Reading
06.26.13
Whitehouse and Warren Fighting to Protect Consumers from Abusive Lending
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) today introduced the Empowering States' Rights to Protect Consumers Act, a bill that would protect consumers by restoring the ability of states to set limits on credit card and other consumer loan interest rates. Whitehouse has introduced similar legislation in past Congresses. "It's time to stop Wall Street banks and their credit card subsidiaries from taking advantage of struggling families in Rhode Island a… Continue Reading
06.25.13
Bicameral Climate Change Task Force Applauds President Obama's Action Plan to Address Climate Change
WASHINGTON, DC - Today the Co-Chairs of the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change applauded President Obama's plans to address climate change by limiting carbon pollution from existing and new power plants, developing new fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty trucks, and setting new efficiency targets for appliances and buildings. The plan also provides financial assistance for carbon capture and storage projects and sets a new goal for the deployment of renewable energy on public lands. F… Continue Reading
06.24.13
RI Delegation, Governor Chafee, and RIEDC Host Ports Showcase
Providence, RI - This morning, the Rhode Island Congressional delegation, Governor Chafee, and the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) held a Ports Showcase to promote the capabilities and services available at ProvPort and Quonset's Port of Davisville. U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) Acting Administrator Paul "Chip" Jaenichen also participated in the Showcase. The Showcase was held to provide businesses, policymakers and community stakeholders with an overview of port cap… Continue Reading
06.21.13
Reed and Whitehouse Hear from RI Business Leaders on Immigration Reform
Providence, RI - As the United States Senate continues debating legislation to overhaul our nation's flawed immigration system, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse held a roundtable discussion to update Rhode Islanders on the status of the legislation. Whitehouse is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which approved the version of the bill now being debated by the full Senate. At the roundtable, the Senators brought together Rhode Island business leaders to discuss how immigra… Continue Reading
06.20.13
Baucus, Whitehouse Act to Protect Tourism, Recreation Jobs from Climate Change
Washington, DC - As rising sea levels, more severe storms, raging wildfires and prolonged droughts continue to increase, U.S. Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today introduced legislation to provide local communities with better tools to prepare for extreme weather and require federal agencies to work more efficiently by implementing a single coordinated strategy for protecting, restoring, and conserving the natural resources that American tourism and recreation jobs and … Continue Reading
06.12.13
Whitehouse Brings Rhode Island and National Environmental Leaders Together at Washington Conference
Washington, DC - Yesterday, at an environmental conference organized by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), approximately 75 Rhode Island environmental and energy leaders heard directly from federal officials about national policies that could affect Rhode Island communities. Former Vice President Al Gore delivered a keynote address at the event. Whitehouse hosts Rhode Island Energy and Environmental Leaders Day every year in order to connect Rhode Islanders from the public interest sector… Continue Reading
06.05.13
Whitehouse Statement on National Security Adviser Appointment
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the statement below regarding President Obama's decision to appoint Susan Rice as his next National Security Adviser. She will succeed Tom Donilon, a Rhode Island native. "As a Rhode Islander, I'm extremely proud of the work Tom Donilon has done for our country throughout his career, particularly during these last few years in the Obama Administration. He will be greatly missed. Ambassador Rice is a strong, experienced choice t… Continue Reading
06.05.13
Whitehouse Honored for Ocean Leadership
Washington, DC - Last night U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) received the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation's (NMSF) Leadership Award for his work to protect oceans and combat climate change. Whitehouse received the award during NMSF's 11th Annual Leadership Awards Dinner in Washington, DC. "I congratulate Senator Whitehouse on receiving our 2013 Leadership Award for his tremendous efforts to tackle the pressing challenges facing our ocean, and to do so with real, meaningful, biparti… Continue Reading
06.05.13
Sen. Whitehouse Commends Botnet Takedown
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the statement below regarding today's news that Microsoft and the FBI led a disruption and mitigation operation against the Citadel family of malware and associated botnets: "I congratulate Microsoft, the FBI, and their partners for today's operation against the Citadel family of malware and the more than one thousand botnets it supports. The scale of the criminal activity associated with Citadel malware, ranging from the invasio… Continue Reading
06.05.13
Bicameral Climate Change Task Force Calls on President Obama to Address Climate Change in Upcoming Meeting with Chinese President Xi
WASHINGTON, DC- Today the Co-Chairs of the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change sent a letter to President Obama urging him to discuss joint action to address climate change with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the upcoming summit in California. The letter focuses on the opportunity for the United States and China to reach agreement to reduce the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are extremely potent heat-trapping gases. In the letter the members write, "Together, the United States… Continue Reading
06.05.13
OMB Delays Undermining Administration’s Agenda on Environment, Energy, and Public Health
Washington, DC - With Congress gridlocked on a host of issues, President Obama has pledged to take action in its stead, particularly on issues related to energy and the environment. Unfortunately, according to a letter sent last night by a group of Senate and House Democrats, the President's own Budget office is delaying the implementation of a host of rules and regulations on everything from clean water to worker safety. The letter was signed by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tom Har… Continue Reading
06.04.13
Sen. Whitehouse Joins President Obama for Announcement on Judges
Washington, DC - Today, President Barack Obama announced the nomination of three new judges for the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a leading advocate for faster judicial confirmations, joined the President in the White House Rose Garden for today's announcement. "For too long, Senate Republicans have been playing political games with our judicial nominations process - holding up qualified nominees for months… Continue Reading
06.03.13
Sen. Whitehouse Statement on Passing of Sen. Lautenberg
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the statement below today regarding the passing of U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ): "It was an honor to know and work with Senator Lautenberg during our time together in the Senate. From his service during World War II through his service in the U.S. Senate, Senator Lautenberg never stopped fighting for what he believed in. Today my thoughts and prayers are with his family and his fellow New Jerseyans, whom he represented s… Continue Reading
06.03.13
Sen. Whitehouse Attends Mental Health Event at White House
Washington, DC - Today, President Obama hosted a National Conference on Mental Health at the White House to discuss ways to help the millions of Americans who struggle with mental health conditions and substance use disorders. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a strong advocate for legislation to improve care coordination for mental health patients, was with former Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) among the invited guests at today's conference. "For too long, Americans suffering from m… Continue Reading
05.30.13
Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change Launches Clean Energy Breakthroughs Series
WASHINGTON, DC- Today the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change launched a new series of fact sheets that will examine emerging energy technologies that could play a significant role in the clean energy economy of the future. Each fact sheet in the series, entitled Clean Energy Breakthroughs, will examine a technical challenge, describe the opportunities it presents, and highlight new technologies being developed to address the challenge. The first fact sheet in the series, available online h… Continue Reading
05.22.13
Immigration Reform Bill Approved by Senate Committee
Washington, DC - After weeks of debate, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee last night voted 13 to 5 to approve landmark immigration reform legislation. The bill, which would strengthen border security and establish a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants living and working in the U.S., also contained several amendments by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a member of the Judiciary Committee. "I have heard from so many Rhode Islanders, including many of our Latino and business leaders, abo… Continue Reading
05.21.13
Statement on Tragedy in Oklahoma
Senator Whitehouse released the following statement today through a spokesperson: "Yesterday afternoon Senator Whitehouse took to the Senate floor to deliver his weekly speech about climate change. It was a speech that had been prepared in advance, and which included a general reference to tornadoes in Oklahoma. Tragically, and unbeknownst to the Senator at the time, a series of tornadoes were hitting Oklahoma at the same moment he gave his remarks. Senator Whitehouse regrets the timing of his … Continue Reading
05.16.13
Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Two Whitehouse Amendments to Immigration Bill
Washington, DC - As the Senate Judiciary Committee continues debating legislation to overhaul our nation's broken immigration system, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) offered two amendments this week to strengthen the bill, both of which were approved by the Committee. Whitehouse's amendments would help foreign-born entrepreneurs who create jobs in the U.S. obtain visas so they can continue to grow their businesses here, and would make it easier to report violations of H-1B program rules … Continue Reading
05.15.13
Senate Passes Water Resources Bill, Including Whitehouse Oceans Endowment
Washington, DC - The U.S. Senate today approved legislation to reauthorize the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) by a vote of 83 to 14. The legislation, which authorizes civil works projects and policies for the Army Corps of Engineers, includes an amendment from U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) to establish a National Endowment for the Oceans, Coasts, and Great Lakes. "Today we took another important step to protect our oceans and coasts, and the research, tourism, and fishing jobs … Continue Reading
