Press Releases
Whitehouse Applauds Obama Administration's Expansion of Overtime Pay
Providence, RI - Today the Obama Administration's Department of Labor proposed a new rule to boost wages for millions of salaried workers by setting a new income limit for automatic overtime pay. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) has been advocating for the change, signing onto a letter to the President in January urging him to raise the protection threshold. "Too many workers in Rhode Island and across the country are working long hours without guaranteed overtime pay," Whitehouse said. "… Continue Reading
06.26.15
Sen. Whitehouse Statement on Supreme Court’s Ruling on Marriage Equality
Washington, DC - Today the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that state-based bans on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional, making same-sex marriages legal nationwide. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a longtime support of marriage equality, released the statement below regarding the decision: "Today the Supreme Court affirmed that the love of all Americans, regardless of sexual orientation, is equal under the law. We have already recognized this basic truth in Rhode Island, but I'm glad … Continue Reading
06.25.15
Sen. Whitehouse Statement on Supreme Court’s Decision to Uphold ACA Subsidies
Washington, DC - Today the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 for the government in King v. Burwell, upholding the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) health insurance subsidies in states that do not have state-based insurance exchanges. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), who voted for the ACA and was deeply involved in crafting the law as a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, released the statement below regarding the decision: "Today, once again, the Supreme Court affi… Continue Reading
06.24.15
Whitehouse Cosponsors Bill to Strengthen Voting Rights Act Protections
Washington, DC - Today a group of Senators and House Members introduced the Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA) of 2015 to restore and strengthen the protections of the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965. The bill was cosponsored by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and comes two years after the Supreme Court gutted core protections in the Voting Rights Act in Shelby County v. Holder. "The Voting Rights Act has stood for generations as a bulwark against discrimination at the ballot box, upho… Continue Reading
06.24.15
EPW Committee Approves Major Highway Funding Measure
Washington, DC - The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee today passed a major transportation funding bill that would provide long-term certainty for federal highway projects. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) is a member of the committee and helped to include a new "Assistance for Major Projects Program" in the bill, which is based on a "Projects of National and Regional Significance Program" he has championed in previous years. The new program would provide funding to ass… Continue Reading
06.23.15
Whitehouse Statement on Trade Promotion Authority Vote
Washington, DC - Today, by a vote of 60-37, the Senate advanced Trade Promotion Authority legislation, which would deny Congress the opportunity to fully vet and amend sweeping trade deals with foreign nations. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, who voted against advancing the bill, released the following statement on today's vote: "I'm disappointed that my colleagues voted to prohibit Congress from improving future trade agreements. Past trade pacts have hurt Rhode Island workers, and I believe we … Continue Reading
06.23.15
Bicameral Call for Greater Transparency in Political Spending
Washington, D.C. - In separate letters sent by House and Senate lawmakers today, Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) led over 100 House Members and 26 Senators, respectively, in calling on the president to issue an Executive Order requiring companies that do business with the federal government to fully disclose their political contributions. "Taxpayers have a right to know where their money is spent and you have the power to ensure that the American… Continue Reading
06.18.15
Sen. Whitehouse Statement on Pope’s Encyclical on the Environment
Washington, DC - Today Pope Francis released a new encyclical on the environment - a teaching document for Catholics throughout the world. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the statement below regarding the encyclical: "As a Senator representing the most Catholic state in America, and a state which faces daunting risks from climate change, I thank Pope Francis for his thoughtful and inspiring words. Pope Francis gives voice to the moral urgency of caring better for our home pla… Continue Reading
06.17.15
Rep. Cartwright, Senator Whitehouse Introduce Legislation to Protect Natural Resources from Climate Change
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright and U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) re-introduced the Safeguarding America's Future and Environment (SAFE) Act, legislation that would safeguard the country's natural resources from the increasingly harmful effects of climate change. "Climate change poses an immediate and long-term threat to the natural resources and environmental landscape that many local communities depend on for a livelihood. In Pennsylvania alone, outdoor re… Continue Reading
06.17.15
Rhode Island Wins $229,000 to Prevent Medicare & Medicaid Fraud
Washington, D.C. - Today U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline announced $229,489 in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) funding for the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) project at the Rhode Island Division of Elderly Affairs (DEA). The funding will enable DEA to train SMP volunteers to educate Medicare and Medicaid recipients on how to detect and guard against fraud in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Medicare and Medicai… Continue Reading
06.16.15
Whitehouse Statement on Vote to Ban Torture Techniques
Washington, DC - Today, by a vote of 78-21, the Senate passed an amendment to National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that limits U.S. intelligence gatherers to the use of interrogation techniques permitted by the U.S. Army Field Manual. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), who formerly served on the Senate Intelligence Committee and helped to author a report on the use of torture by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), issued the following statement on the vote: "President Bush and Vice Pre… Continue Reading
06.16.15
Whitehouse and RI Health Care Expert Discuss Electronic Medical Records at Senate Hearing
Washington, DC - Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) held a hearing to explore how the federal government can improve the use of electronic health records (EHRs). Among the expert witnesses testifying at the hearing was Meryl Moss, Chief Operating Officer at Coastal Medical in Providence, RI. Moss was invited to testify by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), who is a member of the committee and has long been one of the Senate's leading voices on the pr… Continue Reading
06.16.15
Senators to Dept. of Education: Proposed Changes to Student Loan Program could Harm Borrowers
Washington, D.C. - Today a group of Senate Democrats wrote to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to express concern with a draft proposal to reform the Pay as You Earn (PAYE) program for student loans. The program allows eligible borrowers to cap their monthly payments at 10% of discretionary income and forgives remaining balances after 20 years. However, a proposal currently under review by the Department would, according to the Senators, "add unnecessary complexity, increase costs for r… Continue Reading
06.10.15
Sens. Whitehouse and Schatz Unveil Carbon Fee Proposal at American Enterprise Institute
Washington, D.C. - Today, at an event hosted by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) unveiled new legislation to address climate change and boost the economy by putting a price on carbon pollution. The American Opportunity Carbon Fee Act, which will be introduced in the Senate today, would significantly lower U.S. greenhouse gas emissions while generating substantial revenue - all of which would be returned to the American peop… Continue Reading
06.09.15
Sen. Whitehouse: Gaspee Incident Deserves Proper Recognition
Washington, DC - As Rhode Island prepares for the annual Gaspee Days parade in Warwick this weekend, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today gave his eighth annual speech on the floor of the Senate remembering the brave Rhode Islanders who stood up to the British and burned the HMS Gaspee in 1772. Whitehouse argues that the burning of the Gaspee, which took place 16 months before the Boston Tea Party, deserves more recognition for its role in sparking the American Revolution. "I come to the floo… Continue Reading
06.08.15
Whitehouse and Vitter Introduce Bill to Reauthorize National Estuary Program
Washington, D.C. - Today U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and David Vitter (R-LA) introduced legislation to reauthorize the National Estuary Program (NEP). The program was first established in 1987 by the late Senator John Chafee (R-RI) to protect and restore estuarine habitats threatened by pollution and overdevelopment. Authorization for this important program expired in 2010. "Estuaries provide vital ecosystems for fisheries and wildlife, and they also serve as buffers against dange… Continue Reading
06.05.15
Sen. Whitehouse Praises RI’s Phil West at Common Cause Meeting in Washington
Washington, DC - Last night, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) attended the National Governing Board Meeting of Common Cause in Washington, DC. Whitehouse spoke at the meeting to thank the organization for its efforts on a range of issues including campaign finance reform, and to introduce Phil West, the former Executive Director of Common Cause Rhode Island. "Phil embodied the dogged spirit of justice, equality, and accountability that has always been the touchstone of Common Cause's mi… Continue Reading
06.04.15
President Obama Signs Law Containing Sen. Whitehouse Provision on Missing Children Investigations
Washington, DC - On Friday, President Barack Obama signed into law the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, legislation to provide additional resources for victims of human trafficking. Included within the final bill was a provision authored by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Jeff Sessions (R-AL) that will provide explicit authorization for the U.S. Marshals Service to assist other law enforcement agencies, upon request, in investigating missing children cases. The Marshals Serv… Continue Reading
06.01.15
RI Delegation Announces Funding for Harrisville Fire Department and Cumberland Rescue Service
Washington, D.C. - Today, Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline announced $48,000 in federal funding to upgrade equipment for firefighters in Harrisville and emergency medical responders in Cumberland. The funding was authorized as part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG), which is designed to aid fire departments and emergency medical service organizations meet their equipment, training… Continue Reading
05.29.15
RI Delegation Announces $412,500 NOAA Grant to Purchase Unprotected Land on Prudence Island
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline announced $412,500 in funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that will go toward the purchase of 103 acres of land on Prudence Island for inclusion in the Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NBNERR) - thus protecting it from future development. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) will use the NOAA f… Continue Reading
