Press Releases
Whitehouse Cosponsors Bill to Protect LGBT Americans from Housing Discrimination
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) has joined U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and 14 of their colleagues to introduce the Fair and Equal Housing Act of 2017, a bill to ensure equal housing opportunities for all Americans by adding gender identity and sexual orientation to the classes protected from discrimination under the Fair Housing Act (FHA). "We can take pride that Rhode Island was an early leader on safeguarding equality. But there are still too many places across t… Continue Reading
06.15.17
RI Receives $2.7 Million to Improve Workforce and Education Data Collection
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced that Rhode Island is receiving $2,700,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to help the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) better use data to enhance coordination between state-level workforce and education programs. The funding will help the programs take steps to better complement each other and will promote greater… Continue Reading
06.15.17
Senators Press Pruitt on Failing – Again – to Tell the Truth about Emails
Washington, DC - Today, Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee members Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) asked Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt to explain why he failed to disclose a third email account he used as Oklahoma Attorney General. During Pruitt's confirmation process, Senators asked Pruitt repeatedly to detail which email accounts he used t… Continue Reading
06.14.17
Whitehouse Outlines Key Steps to Protect America from Russian Meddling
Washington, DC - On the Senate floor today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), who is leading a Senate Judiciary Crime and Terrorism Subcommittee investigation of Russian meddling in our elections, delivered remarks on the threats to our democracy from lax incorporation laws and dark money flooding our politics. During his remarks, he previewed legislation he will introduce soon that would address corporate transparency loopholes exposed by instances of Russian interference in elections around … Continue Reading
06.14.17
Reed & Whitehouse Announce $25.5 Million for Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization Throughout RI
WASHINGTON, DC - In an effort to help revitalize local neighborhoods and support affordable housing and economic development programs throughout the state, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse today announced that Rhode Island will receive over $25.5 million in federal aid this week through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, the Home Investment Partnership (HOME) program, the Housing Trust Fund (HTF), the Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) program, and the Housing Opportu… Continue Reading
06.14.17
Whitehouse Statement on Shooting in Alexandria, VA
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today issued the following statement regarding the shooting that injured House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and others this morning in Alexandria, Virginia: "I am shocked and disturbed by the reports of the shooting incident in Virginia this morning. My heart goes out to my fellow members of Congress, to their staffers, to the Capitol Police officers, and to the others at the scene." ###… Continue Reading
06.13.17
Whitehouse Calls Out Republicans for Secret Health Care Bill
Washington, DC - Today, at hearings of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) and Budget committees, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) called out Republicans in the Senate for the total secrecy surrounding their effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). A group of Senate Republicans is currently working behind closed doors to alter the House-passed American Health Care Act in hopes of passing a similar bill later this month. The House version of "Trumpcare" would l… Continue Reading
06.13.17
Alliance for Biosecurity Honors Senator Whitehouse With Biosecurity Champion Award
Washington, DC - The Alliance for Biosecurity has presented Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) with the Congressional Biosecurity Champion Award. The award acknowledges the leadership and actions taken by members of Congress to improve U.S. national health security and preparedness for biological threats. "Strengthening America's biosecurity takes the public and private sectors working closely together. That's why I've been fighting to fully and consistently fund the federal government's progr… Continue Reading
06.08.17
Whitehouse Statement on Comey Testimony Before Senate Intelligence Committee
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, released the following statement on the testimony of former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey, who testified before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence today: "Today we learned that Mr. Comey, a long-time prosecutor, concluded that the President of the United States intended to obstruct an FBI investigation. That alone is remarkable testimon… Continue Reading
06.07.17
Whitehouse Statement on Trump Infrastructure Plan
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement on the roll-out of President Donald Trump's infrastructure plan in Ohio today: "Donald Trump's 'plan' amounts to doling out our roads, airports, ports, and bridges to corporations and private investors and leaving cities and towns to clean up the nation's infrastructure mess. That's not a real plan. There is clear bipartisan agreement in Congress … Continue Reading
06.07.17
In Letter to DeVos, Senators Call Out Phony Science Materials Sent to Teachers Nationwide
Washington, D.C. - Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) wrote to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos today to highlight bogus materials sent by the Heartland Institute, a group with a long record of climate denial, to more than 300,000 public school science teachers across the country. Heartland's 11-minute DVD and 135-page book, which are made to look like typical curriculum materials for science teachers, are explicitly desi… Continue Reading
06.07.17
Senators Call on Pruitt to Explain Icahn’s Role in Shaping RFS
Washington, D.C. - Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) have written to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt requesting any information on investor Carl Icahn's role in crafting policy and regulations at the EPA, particularly with regard to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Senators have repeatedly asked top Trump administration officials to explain the billionaire invest… Continue Reading
06.07.17
Whitehouse Statement on Selection of Christopher Wray for FBI Director
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on President Donald Trump's selection of Christopher Wray to serve as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation: "Christopher Wray knows the Justice Department, is not a politician, and has a background in federal law enforcement. Those were my minimum qualifications for the next Director. Mr. Wray will need to demonstrate that he has the necessary respec… Continue Reading
06.07.17
Whitehouse Delivers Tenth Annual Speech on the Burning of the Gaspee
Washington, DC - As Rhode Island prepares for the annual Gaspee Days celebration this weekend, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse yesterday evening delivered his tenth annual speech on the floor of the Senate to recall the story of the bold Rhode Islanders who stood up to the British and burned the HMS Gaspee in 1772. Whitehouse takes to the Senate floor every year to recognize the Gaspee Affair for its role in sparking the American Revolution, as it took place more than eighteen months before the… Continue Reading
06.06.17
Whitehouse Applauds Rhode Islanders’ Commitment to Paris Accord
Providence, RI - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today released the following statement applauding Rhode Island leaders and institutions that have recommitted to the Paris Agreement in the wake of President Trump exiting the accord: "While President Trump has abandoned the Paris accord, Rhode Islanders are stepping up to say 'we're still in.' Roger Williams University and Brown University, Governor Raimondo, Treasurer Magaziner, and Providence Mayor Elorza have committed to keeping up the figh… Continue Reading
06.05.17
Reed, Whitehouse Host Conversation on Future of College Affordability & Importance of Preserving Pell Grants
WARWICK, RI - In an effort to address the issue of college affordability and make the student financial aid process more efficient for working families, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse today hosted a conversation at CCRI's Knight Campus on the future of federal financial aid. While a college education has become more important for many jobs, it is increasingly harder for families to afford tuition bills without incurring massive amounts of debt. Topics at the forum included maki… Continue Reading
06.02.17
Woonsocket Wins Over $377,000 in Federal Fire Safety Grants
WOONSOCKET, RI -- Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline, along with Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt, announced $377,055 in federal funding to help the Woonsocket Fire Department purchase needed safety equipment. The funding is made available by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security through Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG). The federal funds be used to replace 54 outdated self… Continue Reading
06.02.17
Whitehouse Statement on Return of C.I.A. Torture Report to Congress
Washington, DC - Today, the New York Times reported that the Trump administration is returning to Congress copies of the 2014 Senate report on the Bush-era Central Intelligence Agency's detention and interrogation program. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a former member of the Intelligence Committee who was involved in the preparation of the report and who has advocated for its declassification, released the statement below: "When I served on the Senate Intelligence Committee, my colle… Continue Reading
06.01.17
Whitehouse Statement on U.S. Withdrawal From Paris Climate Agreement
Washington, DC - 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 President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change: "Donald Trump and his children said just a few years ago that climate change was 'irrefutable' and its consequences 'catastrophic and irreversible.' They were right. There is no denying the growing threa… Continue Reading
05.31.17
RI Delegation Announces $925k for Remediation & Development
PROVIDENCE, RI - Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline announced $925,000 in federal funding to help Central Falls, Providence, and Woonsocket clean and redevelop contaminated former industrial sites. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Brownfields Program provides states and local communities with funding to safely inspect and clean up contaminated sites so that they may be used in redevelopment projects. This round… Continue Reading
