Press Releases
Whitehouse, Feinstein, Durbin, Franken, Blumenthal, Hirono Call on Gorsuch and Dark Money Group to Disclose Secretive Backers
Washington, DC - Today, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Diane Feinstein (D-CA), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Al Franken (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) wrote to Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch and the dark money group backing his nomination, the Judicial Crisis Network, calling on them to reveal who has spent $17 million on Gorsuch's nomination fight. The Senators want answers before Gorsuch's confirmation vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday. "Because t… Continue Reading
03.30.17
Senators Form Bipartisan Alliance to Address Marine Debris Crisis
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) have introduced the bipartisan Save our Seas (SOS) Act to help address the marine debris epidemic affecting America's ocean shorelines and inland waterways, as well as other coasts across the globe. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Gary Peters (D-MI) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) also co-sponsored the bill. "Stopping the flow of plastic garbage that fills our oce… Continue Reading
03.29.17
Whitehouse Calls on Trump, Congress to Support $1 Trillion Investment That Would Boost Infrastructure, Create Jobs in RI
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today took to the Senate floor to call on the Trump administration and Congress to support Senate Democrats' $1 trillion infrastructure blueprint, which would rebuild and reinforce infrastructure while creating jobs in Rhode Island and across the country. Rhode Island has the highest percentage of deficient bridges of any state, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers. "Let's get to work," said Whitehouse. "President Trump has s… Continue Reading
03.28.17
Whitehouse Statement on Trump Climate Executive Order
Washington, DC - Today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety and Co-Chair of the Senate Climate Action Task Force, released the following statement on President Trump's executive order to begin dismantling the Clean Power Plan and other climate protections: "Just a few years ago, Donald Trump and his children supported 'meaningful and effective measures' to fight climate change, calling it 'scie… Continue Reading
03.27.17
Whitehouse Vows to Protect National Service from Trump Cuts
Providence, RI - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today committed to fighting to protect National Service programs that are making a difference in Rhode Island. President Trump's budget proposal released earlier this month would eliminate the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), which provides funding for AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs in Rhode Island and across the country. "Every day, thousands of AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members head to work in classrooms and commu… Continue Reading
03.27.17
Whitehouse Delivers Meal to Warwick Senior, Pledges Support for Meals on Wheels
Providence, RI - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today delivered a meal to Becky Yates, a Warwick senior citizen, as part of Meals on Wheels' March for Meals campaign. March for Meals is a month-long national effort to raise awareness for senior hunger and the benefit of programs like Meals on Wheels. "After visiting with Becky today, I was reminded once again of the incredible difference Meals on Wheels makes here in Rhode Island by providing homebound seniors with nutritious meals and a conn… Continue Reading
03.27.17
Senators Turn to Icahn to Explain Role in Administration
Washington, D.C. - Today, after several ignored requests for information, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) asked investor and special advisor to the President Carl Icahn directly to explain what he is doing in the Trump Administration. Senators have repeatedly asked top Administration officials to explain the billionaire investor's role as a "special advi… Continue Reading
03.24.17
Whitehouse Statement on Trumpcare Failure
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) issued the following statement on Speaker Paul Ryan's decision today to withdraw from consideration the American Health Care Act, House Republicans' bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act: "Trumpcare was such a mess even Republicans couldn't support it. Now we can move on. I hope to work with my colleagues - Democrats and Republicans alike - on ways we can strengthen and improve our health care system." ###… Continue Reading
03.24.17
Whitehouse Announces Opposition to Gorsuch
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the following statement explaining his opposition to the nomination of Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch: "In his opening statement to the Committee, Judge Gorsuch said a bad judge is the one who 'stretch[es] for the policy results he prefers rather than those the law compels.' I agree, and I would like to give Judge Gorsuch the benefit of the doubt that he can avoid that kind of stretching should he be confirmed. He is an intellige… Continue Reading
03.24.17
Whitehouse, Reed Introduce MAR-A-LAGO Act to Require Disclosure of Visitor Logs at White House, Trump Properties
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.) joined U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), and U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) to introduce the Making Access Records Available to Lead American Government Openness (MAR-A-LAGO) Act, a bill that requires the publication of visitor logs to the White House or any other location where President Trump regularly conducts official business, including various Trump Organization properti… Continue Reading
03.24.17
Whitehouse Statement on Keystone Pipeline Approval
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the following statement on the State Department permit issued today for construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline: "At the bidding of his fossil fuel overlords, President Trump is ramming through a project that makes no economic sense and will inflict damage on our climate and Americans' health and safety. "One of the big reasons this project wasn't moving forward is because the numbers just don't add up. With continued low oil price… Continue Reading
03.23.17
Whitehouse Introduces Bill to Boost US-Israel Cooperation on Cybersecurity
Washington, DC - Today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen cooperation between the United States and Israel on cybersecurity. The United States-Israel Cybersecurity Cooperation Enhancement Act would establish a grant program at the Department of Homeland Security to leverage private-sector investment and encourage cooperative cybersecurity research and development between the two nations. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), Gary Peters (D-MI), Cory Gard… Continue Reading
03.22.17
Whitehouse Statement on Senate President Paiva Weed Stepping Down
Providence, RI - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today released the following statement on Rhode Island Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed's departure from the Senate: "Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed has dedicated two and a half decades to public service, and countless Rhode Islanders are better for it. Teresa is my state senator, and I am proud to count her as a friend. The legacy of her leadership will long be remembered, from her stewardship of Narragansett Bay and Fort Adams, to he… Continue Reading
03.22.17
Whitehouse to Gorsuch: Citizens United Itself Impedes Action on Dark Money
Washington, DC - During his second round of questioning of Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) laid out the central challenge in ridding our political system of the unlimited secret spending-or "dark money"-unleashed by the Citizens United decision: that dark money makes it harder for Congress to act. Gorsuch had earlier raised the point that Congress is able to mandate disclosure of those behind dark money spending in politics, as the Supreme Court has n… Continue Reading
03.21.17
Whitehouse Presses Gorsuch on Dark Money
Washington, DC - Today in the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) pressed Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch for his position on the effect unlimited, secret political spending-or "dark money"-has had on our political system since the 2010 Citizens United decision, and whether Gorsuch knew why a dark money group was spending on his behalf. Whitehouse noted that the same dark money group that led a campaign to defeat President Obama's nominee for the Supreme Court in 20… Continue Reading
03.20.17
Whitehouse Remarks at Gorsuch Confirmation Hearing
Washington, DC - Today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) delivered the following opening remarks at the Senate Judiciary Committee's Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Federal Circuit Court Judge Neil Gorsuch. Video of Whitehouse's remarks is available here. The question before us is what happens when Republicans gain a five-seat majority on the Supreme Court? I can't help but notice the long array of 5-4 decisions, with all the Republican appointees lining up to change the law to the be… Continue Reading
03.16.17
Whitehouse Statement on Trump ‘Skinny’ Budget
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) issued the following statement today in response to the release of President Trump's budget blueprint for Fiscal Year 2018: "Looking at these pages makes me wonder what 'America First' means to President Trump. This proposal would gut programs that support jobs, education, and public health for all Americans, while handing out favors to the wealthy and big corporations. And it would abdicate American leadership in the world. It's light on de… Continue Reading
03.16.17
After a Month of Waiting, Senators Want Answers on Icahn
Washington, D.C. - It has been over a month since a group of Senators wrote to the Trump Administration asking what role Carl Icahn is playing in shaping policy. Having received no response by the February 15 deadline, today Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Al Franken (D-MN), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) are pushing for answers in two letters sent to White House Counsel Don McGahn and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Adm… Continue Reading
03.15.17
Graham, Whitehouse Hold Hearing on Russian Interference in Elections
Washington, DC - Today, Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) held a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism to examine Russian efforts to undermine democracies, including the United States and its elections. The hearing included testimony from a panel of experts in the tools employed by the Russian government to disrupt elections and the function of democratic governments, including cyber-attacks, financial crime and economic ma… Continue Reading
03.15.17
Senate Democrats Release List of Over 100 Oversight Letters President Trump Refuses to Answer
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In recognition of Sunshine Week, a nationwide initiative to promote openness and transparency in government, the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee today released a compilation of over 100 oversight letters the Trump Administration has refused to answer in response to congressional inquiries. Democratic Policy and Communications Committee Chair, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), joined Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a… Continue Reading
