Press Releases
Whitehouse, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Provide Historic, Permanent Investment in Home Care for Seniors and People with Disabilities
Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joined colleagues U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI-6) to introduce legislation to expand access to home and community-based services for older adults, people with disabilities, and injured workers, while increasing pay and improving benefits for the caregivers who provide life-sustaining care. "The Better Care Better Jobs Act will help ensure that our health care workforce is adequately paid… Continue Reading
01.26.23
Whitehouse to Take on Senate Budget Committee Gavel for 118th Congress
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today announced that he will step into the role of Chairman of the U.S. Senate Budget Committee for the 118th Congress. "I very much look forward to taking the helm," said Whitehouse. "Together with the members of the Committee, we will examine a range of subjects that have enormous consequences for American families, the economy, and the federal budget. Chief among these is climate change, as economic experts warn of serious financial… Continue Reading
01.25.23
Whitehouse, Graham, Blumenthal on U.S., Germany Sending Tanks to Ukraine
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today made this joint statement after President Joe Biden announced the United States and Germany will send tanks to Ukraine. "Today's announcement is welcome news from the Biden Administration. Evicting Putin from Ukraine is in America's national security interest, as other bad actors are watching the outcome of this conflict. "The German Leopard 2 tank is well suited for this fight and… Continue Reading
01.21.23
Whitehouse Joins Bipartisan Congressional Delegation to Ukraine
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) announced that he joined Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) on a bipartisan congressional delegation to Ukraine to learn more about how the U.S. can help Ukraine and its leaders achieve victory against Russia's brutal and unjust invasion. Traveling to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv yesterday, the delegation met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and held a press conferen… Continue Reading
01.09.23
Reed, Whitehouse & Cicilline Secure $61.7 Million to Support RI’s Small Business Growth
PROVIDENCE, RI - In an effort to connect more small business owners to the capital they need, Rhode Island is set to receive up to $61.7 million in federal funding to promote small business growth and entrepreneurship in the Ocean State, thanks to legislation supported and passed by U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressman David Cicilline. Reed, Whitehouse, and Cicilline lauded U.S. Treasury's approval of Rhode Island's application to receive State Small Business Credit In… Continue Reading
01.09.23
Reed & Whitehouse Deliver $1.5 Million Upgrade for Warwick Sewers
WARWICK, RI - Modernizing local water systems and improving water infrastructure isn't always glamorous, but it's a critical investment in public health, environmental protection, and community development. In an effort to upgrade Warwick's wastewater treatment facilities, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse teamed up to secure a $1.5 million federal earmark to modernize the Warwick Sewer Authority's (WSA) equipment that provides round-the-clock monitoring of the city's wastewater tr… Continue Reading
01.05.23
Whitehouse Encourages Rhode Islanders to Take Advantage of New Tax Credits and Rebates to Lower Energy Bills and Green Up Homes
Cranston, RI - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today joined with labor officials and representatives of Rhode Island Energy to encourage Rhode Islanders to take advantage of the new energy-efficient and clean energy home improvement tax credits now available thanks to Democrats' Inflation Reduction Act. The tax credits and rebates, which went into effect on January 1, can provide major savings on energy-efficient home improvements that will help families save money on utility bills. "Our Infla… Continue Reading
01.04.23
Whitehouse Joins Cranston Officials and Mental Health Professionals to Celebrate Improved Crisis Intervention Training for Local Law Enforcement
Cranston, RI - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today joined Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins and representatives of the Cranston Police Department, Thundermist Health Center, Cranston Comprehensive Community Action Plan, and Gateway Emergency Health Services to announce improvements to de-escalation and crisis intervention training for local police officers. Whitehouse helped shepherd the bipartisan Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act into law in late December, and also delivered a $500,000 C… Continue Reading
12.27.22
Whitehouse’s Bipartisan Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act Signed Into Law
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statements after the Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act, which would equip law enforcement officers with the tools to effectively and safely respond to people in crisis, was signed into law by President Joe Biden. "Our bipartisan Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act - now the law of the land - will ensure that police officers have the right training for life-saving crisis interve… Continue Reading
12.23.22
Whitehouse-Graham Amendment to Transfer Liquidated Russian Oligarchs’ Assets to Aid Ukraine Clears Senate
Washington, D.C. - One day after Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed a joint meeting of Congress, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) offered an amendment to the FY2023 government spending bill to help ensure Putin and his corrupt oligarchs pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine. The amendment was added to the appropriations bill by voice vote. The appropriations bill passed the Senate yesterday on a bipartisan 68 to 29 vote. The Whitehouse-Graham amen… Continue Reading
12.23.22
Whitehouse Secures Funding to Increase Pell Grants and Address the Opioid Crisis
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) voted yesterday to pass the 2023 Omnibus Appropriations bill, which will provide inflation relief to families across Rhode Island, invest in local communities, address the climate crisis, and strengthen our national security. "This bill delivers significant support for Rhode Island as we continue to work to save lives from addiction and make college more affordable for working families," said Senator Whitehouse. "As a whole, this bill wil… Continue Reading
12.22.22
Whitehouse Delivers $87.2 Million Direct Investment in RI Via Omnibus Funding Bill
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today announced that more than $87.2 million will soon be on its way to Rhode Island to support a total of 78 projects that will help grow the local economy and improve the quality of life for Ocean State families. Whitehouse successfully included the Congressionally Directed Spending requests in the 2023 Omnibus Appropriations bill, which funds the federal government through September. The Senate approved the Omnibus today, and it is expected… Continue Reading
12.22.22
Whitehouse, Kennedy Issue Report Examining Boundaries of Executive Privilege and the Importance of Congressional Oversight
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and John Kennedy (R-LA), the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, released a report entitled: Overprivileged: A Closer Look at Congressional Oversight, Executive Privilege and the Separation of Powers. The new report breaks down the logjam of information disputes between the executive branch and Congress that is thwarting Con… Continue Reading
12.19.22
Whitehouse Statement on Criminal Referrals from January 6th Select Committee
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the bipartisan House Select Committee's criminal referral of former President Trump and several of his associates to the Department of Justice: "I applaud the Select Committee for its many months of diligent investigation and public hearings. The opinion of legislators about prosecution carries little weight at the Department of Justice,… Continue Reading
12.16.22
Whitehouse, Portman Laud Proposed Rule to Continue Telehealth Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) have issued the following statements in response to the announcement by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that the agency released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to continue Public Health Emergency-related telehealth provisions, update opioid treatment program guidelines, and reduce barriers for providers and patients: "The opioid epidemic has taken a heartbreaking toll on Rho… Continue Reading
12.16.22
Reed, Whitehouse, & Cicilline: FIFA’s Anti-LGBTQ+ Stance Deserves a Red Card
WASHINGTON, DC - Ahead of this weekend's World Cup final, a group of 30 U.S. lawmakers, including U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressman David Cicilline, are calling foul over FIFA's decision to punish players wearing "OneLove" arm bands in support of LGBTQ+ rights. In a bicameral letter to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the lawmakers say FIFA made the wrong call to censor support for LGBTQ+ rights by fans and players at the 2022 World Cup. Reed, Whitehouse, and Cicil… Continue Reading
12.16.22
Senate Passes Whitehouse-Cicilline Bill to Strengthen U.S.-Portuguese Relations
WASHINGTON, DC - Yesterday, the Senate passed the Advancing Mutual Interests and Growing Our Success (AMIGOS) Act. The bill, introduced by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Congressman David N. Cicilline (D-RI), now heads to the President's desk for signature. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will extend trade and investor visas to Portuguese citizens to increase international business between the United States and Portugal. "Generations of Portuguese immigrants have made lasting con… Continue Reading
12.15.22
Whitehouse Provisions to Protect Ocean Health, Strengthen Coastal Resiliency Head to the President’s Desk
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) tonight voted to pass the FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which has now cleared Congress and is expected to be signed into law by President Biden. The must-pass defense bill incorporates Whitehouse's sweeping oceans package and the bipartisan water resources legislation that Whitehouse helped shepherd through the Senate in July. "Today's a great day for our oceans. The package we included in the NDAA is the most compr… Continue Reading
12.15.22
Whitehouse’s Bipartisan Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act Heads to President’s Desk
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statements after the Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act, which would equip law enforcement officers with the tools to effectively and safely respond to people in crisis, passed the House last night on a bipartisan 264-162 vote. The bill is now headed to the President's desk for signature. "I'm pleased to see the House pass the Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act and send it the… Continue Reading
12.15.22
Whitehouse Introduces Bipartisan Legislation Improving Quality of Care for America’s Seniors
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today joined Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) in introducing the Preserving Access to Value Based Care Act. This bipartisan legislation ensures health care providers through Medicare continue to commit to value-based models, or Alternative Payment Models (APMs). "Rhode Island's accountable care organizations have been national leaders at improving patient care and lowering costs. Medicare has earned back millions from their success," said … Continue Reading
