Press Releases
Sen. Whitehouse Delivers 100th Weekly Climate Speech
Washington, DC - For the last three years, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) has delivered a weekly "Time to Wake Up" speech on the Senate floor about the urgent need to act on climate change. This evening, Whitehouse delivered the 100th installment in his "Time to Wake Up" series. The full text of Whitehouse's remarks is below, and video is available here. ----------------------------------- 100th Climate Speech As Prepared for Delivery Mr./Madam President, April 18, 2012, was not … Continue Reading
05.18.15
Whitehouse Issues Statement on Passing of James Skeffington
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse issued the following statement regarding the death of Pawtucket Red Sox owner and attorney James Skeffington: "I worked closely with Jim and knew him to be a very talented lawyer and longstanding, active member of the Rhode Island community. A great many people will miss him and his service to our state. My thoughts are with the Skeffington family in this difficult time." ###… Continue Reading
05.15.15
Sen. Whitehouse Hosts Catholic Bishops for Climate Change Meeting
Washington, DC - As Pope Francis prepares to release an encyclical on climate change this summer, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joined U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) this week to host a meeting on Capitol Hill with representatives from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The bishops met privately with Whitehouse, Collins, and other Senators to discuss the forthcoming encyclical, the Church's views on climate change, and the importance of protecting our natural environment. "As… Continue Reading
05.14.15
Whitehouse Slams House Proposal to Eliminate Juvenile Justice Funding
Washington, DC - Yesterday, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science released a proposal to eliminate funding for juvenile justice intervention programs. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), who has been working with Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) on bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, issued the statement below regarding the House bill: "Chairman Grassley and I have been working on bipa… Continue Reading
05.12.15
Sen. Whitehouse Applauds Defeat of “Fast Track” Trade Authority
Washington, DC - Today the U.S. Senate held a procedural vote on Trade Promotion Authority legislation, which would have limited the Senate's ability to block or amend future free trade agreements. The bill failed by a vote of 52-45. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) voted against the bill and released the following statement: "It would have been a mistake to provide fast-track authority for trade agreements that could further undermine American wages, manufacturing jobs, and our environ… Continue Reading
05.12.15
Reed, Whitehouse & Langevin Announce $182,000 in Federal Funding for Oyster Study
Providence, RI - Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressman Jim Langevin announced $182,000 in funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the University of Rhode Island (URI) to study the effects of food-borne disease outbreaks on Rhode Island oysters farmers. The URI researchers hope to help the oyster industry - both in Rhode Island and nationwide - to better predict demand for oysters in the event of an outbreak of food-borne diseas… Continue Reading
05.06.15
Whitehouse Compares Climate Denial to Civil Racketeering Perpetrated by Tobacco Industry
Washington, DC - Today, in his 98th weekly "Time to Wake Up" speech on climate change, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) highlighted the similarities between the tobacco industry's efforts to mislead the American public about the dangers of its product and the ongoing effort by fossil-fuel interests to cast doubt on climate science. "Big coal, oil, and natural gas, and related industries like the Koch Brothers' companies, profit by offloading the costs of their carbon pollution onto the re… Continue Reading
05.05.15
Whitehouse Calls for Long-Term Highway Funding Plan
Washington, DC - With federal highway funding set to expire at the end of this month unless Congress acts, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) took to the Senate floor today to call for a serious bipartisan effort to avert a funding crisis. Whitehouse's speech took Republicans to task for failing to provide new highway funding through their budget proposal, and highlighted the urgent need to invest in Rhode Island roads and bridges. Video of Whitehouse's remarks is available here. "We are… Continue Reading
05.02.15
During Annual Veterans Breakfast, Whitehouse Announces Bill to Protect Servicemembers from Foreclosure
Warwick, RI - On Saturday, during his 8th Annual Veterans Breakfast and Resource Fair at the Rhode Island National Guard Armory, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse presented medals to a Korean War veteran from Pawtucket, heard from veterans and their families about the issues they face, and announced legislation to protect servicemembers from losing their homes to foreclosure. Whitehouse introduced the legislation in the Senate on Thursday. The event also included representatives from federal and… Continue Reading
04.30.15
Grassley, Whitehouse Bill Reauthorizes Juvenile Justice Programs with Improved Accountability
Washington, D.C. - Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today are introducing legislation to ensure that at-risk youth are fairly and effectively served by juvenile justice grant programs. Their legislation updates existing law by promoting improved transparency and accountability at the state and federal level. It also adds additional support for youth with mental illnesses and guards against fraud and mismanagement of grant funds through enhanced oversigh… Continue Reading
04.30.15
WHITEHOUSE, LANGEVIN SUPPORT GOOD CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) introduced legislation in their respective chambers today that would allow federal employees to make socially responsible investments (SRI) in their retirement plans. The Federal Employees Sustainable Investment Act, which is also supported by Congressman David Cicilline (D-RI), would allow federal employees to direct retirement investments toward socially responsible corporations. "Americans increasin… Continue Reading
04.29.15
Whitehouse Fighting to Help RIers Combat Addiction
Washington, DC - On the heels of a new Providence Journal analysis showing that Rhode Island has a higher rate of opioid-related overdose deaths than neighboring states and the nation as a whole, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) is continuing his fight to help communities and individuals battle addiction. Whitehouse, who is the lead Democratic sponsor of the bipartisan Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, spoke today at a Capitol Hill event hosted by the Addiction Policy Forum. "Th… Continue Reading
04.27.15
Udall, Whitehouse, Merkley, Booker Announce Breakthrough Improvements to Landmark Chemical Safety Bill
WASHINGTON - Today, Democratic U.S. Sens. Tom Udall (N.M.), Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.) and Cory Booker (N.J.) announced a major breakthrough agreement in historic legislation to reform the nation's broken chemical safety law, a day before a "markup" hearing to finalize the legislation in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Following intense weekend negotiations, the bipartisan compromise agreement strengthens protections under the proposed law and expands state… Continue Reading
04.22.15
Whitehouse Delivers Remarks at Capitol Hill Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide
Washington, DC - Last evening, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse delivered the following remarks at the Capitol Hill Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. The Commemoration marked the 100th anniversary of the Genocide and was attended by members of both the House and Senate. Since taking office in 2007, Whitehouse has cosponsored multiple Senate Resolutions calling on the President to ensure that U.S. foreign policy acknowledges as genocide the killings of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman… Continue Reading
04.16.15
Senate Committee Approves Education Overhaul
Washington, DC - The U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) today approved bipartisan legislation to reform our nation's education system. The bill reauthorizes and updates the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which was last overhauled in 2001 with President Bush's "No Child Left Behind" program. The reauthorization approved today lessens the testing burdens imposed by the Bush program and reduces the federal government's footprint in evaluating te… Continue Reading
04.14.15
Senators Urge Governors to Ignore McConnell, Comply with the Clean Air Act
Washington, D.C. - Last month, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) sent a letter to the Governors of all 50 states urging them to ignore the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean Power Plan. Now a group of U.S. Senators is responding with their own letter to Governors pointing out that McConnell's home state is already crafting a plan to comply with the EPA standards and his actions are at odds with voices from around Kentucky who believe climate change is real and should be addresse… Continue Reading
04.08.15
Whitehouse, Langevin, and Cicilline Lead Economic Development Administration Head on Tour of Rhode Island
Providence, RI - Today, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse hosted the head of the federal Economic Development Administration (EDA), U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Jay Williams, on a day-long tour of Rhode Island. They met with Rhode Island businesses and discussed ways that the EDA could support economic growth and job creation in the state. Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline joined them for the stops in their respective districts. Williams leads the onl… Continue Reading
04.02.15
Sen. Whitehouse Statement on Tentative Iran Nuclear Deal
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the statement below regarding President Obama's announcement that international negotiators have agreed upon a framework for a deal to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon: "As President Obama said today, a diplomatic solution is 'our best option by far' in the effort to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. I will continue to review the developing details of this framework. I commend the President and Secretary Kerr… Continue Reading
04.02.15
Senators Urging Administration to Require Government Contractors to Disclose Political Spending
Washington, DC - Today, on the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court's McCutcheon decision that further eroded the nation's campaign finance laws, a group of U.S. Senators are sending a letter asking the Obama Administration to implement an executive order requiring government contractors to disclose political spending. The letter is signed by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tom Udall (D-NM), Al Franken (D-MN), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). The letter from th… Continue Reading
04.02.15
RI Delegation Announces $1.6 Million for RI Sea Grant
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline announced over $1.6 million in federal funding from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the Rhode Island Sea Grant Program. Rhode Island Sea Grant will use the funds to continue work on the state's Shellfish Management Plan in cooperation with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and the Coastal Resources Management Counci… Continue Reading
