Category: US Senate

Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) joined a bipartisan group of colleagues in calling on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to set standards on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in bottled water, to ensure bottled water products are safe for drinking. PFAS are pervasive and persistent chemicals that accumulate in people’s bodies over time, and exposure to these chemicals has been linked to cancer, liver damage, decreased fertility, and other serious health conditions.

“Despite the clear and present danger PFAS exposure presents, there are no enforceable limits on these substances in drinking water in the United States,” wrote the Senators. “Given the widespread persistence of PFAS in our environment and drinking water, many people have turned to bottled water to avoid adding toxic chemicals to their bodies. Establishing [Standards of Quality] for bottled water is an important step that will help ensure consumer confidence and protect public health.”

PFAS were first developed in the 1940s and are used in many products across all industries due to their grease-, water-, and oil-repellent properties, including food packaging, nonstick pans, carpeting, and many more. Their properties also make them persistent in the environment, leading to PFAS becoming ubiquitous in contaminating water sources throughout the United States.

When tap water is compromised, many consumers turn to bottled water. The FDA regulates bottled water, but has not set a limit for PFAS chemicals in bottled water. Without nationwide FDA regulations for PFAS in bottled water or Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations for tap water, some states have implemented their own PFAS rules for drinking water, but no such state rules exist for bottled water.

In addition to Senators Collins and King, the letter was signed by Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH).

Click HERE to read the full letter.

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Senators Collins and King have led efforts to assist Maine communities that are struggling with the impacts of PFAS.  In May, Senator Collins and Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME) sent a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Council on PFAS, highlighting Maine’s extensive and unfortunate history with PFAS issues and urging the Council to work with the State of Maine on remediation.  In April, Senator King led a bipartisan group of colleagues, including Senator Collins, in urging Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to allow state, tribal, and local governments to use funds allocated through the American Rescue Plan to address contamination from PFAS in local water supplies and farmland.  Also in April, the Senate passed the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 with an amendment co-sponsored by Senators Collins and King to allow states to assist more households impacted by unregulated contaminants like PFAS. 

Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the founder and co-chair of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, and Senator Angus King announced that the Maine Department of Health and Human Services has received a total of $1,925,328 to support diabetes and heart disease prevention programs across the state.  This funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

“Diabetes and heart disease are lifelong conditions that affect individuals of every age, race, and nationality,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement.  “We welcome this funding, which will help support the Maine Department of Health and Human Services’ efforts to better understand and prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.”

Chronic diseases – such as heart disease and diabetes – are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States.  HHS’ National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion works to reduce the risk factors for chronic diseases, especially for groups affected by health disparities which are differences in health across different geographic, racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. 

Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

Millinocket, ME – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King joined Governor Mills; community leaders; and representatives from Nautilus Data Technologies, Our Katahdin, and CapZone Analytics to celebrate Nautilus becoming the first tenant for the 1,400-acre former Great Northern Paper Mill site. 

Nautilus has developed the world’s most environmentally innovative, water-cooled data center.  The company will use its patented water-cooling technology and 100% hydroelectric power to provide high-performance computing without negatively impacting the environment. The data center’s customers will include The Jackson Laboratory, Maine Municipal Association, and Maine State Chamber of Commerce.

“I am delighted to welcome Nautilus to Maine.  The innovative technology this remarkable company has developed will make this data center one of the greenest facilities in the world,” said Senator Collins.  “It is fascinating that the abundant natural resources that led to a paper mill being built here more than a century ago are a major factor in the mill’s rebirth.  But natural resources are only a factor.  The real credit for this marvelous development goes to the people of the Katahdin Region. The good jobs created during construction and through operations of the Nautilus center are but an early return on the investment in cooperation among members of the community and all levels of government.”

“As the global economy continues to emphasize both the importance of digital infrastructure and the urgency of confronting climate change, sustainable projects like this are the blueprint for Maine’s future,” said Senator King. “The new Nautilus facility is an important step to revitalize the regional economy, which will put Maine on the map as a leader in digital innovation, further our state’s longstanding commitment to environmentally-friendly industry, and create good jobs that strengthen our communities.”

Senators Collins and King have been longstanding supporters of the effort to transform and revitalize the site of the former Millinocket mill.  In 2018, the Senators announced that the Economic Development Administration awarded Our Katahdin a $5.3 million grant that they advocated for.  The funding helped the nonprofit build critical infrastructure, including roads, water, sewer, power, and broadband, to support future businesses at the former mill site.

Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

BRUNSWICK, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) has joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues to introduce the Visit America Act, which would formally authorize the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board and create an assistant secretary position within the Department of Commerce specifically focused on bolstering America’s travel and tourism industry – a high-status position that every other nation in the G20 already possesses. The assistant secretary would be tasked with coordinating a strategy across multiple federal agencies by establishing annual goals and recommendations. The legislation would also require the development and implementation of a recovery strategy to assist the travel and tourism industry to better recover from the COVID–19 pandemic. In addition to Senator King, the Visit America Act is led by Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Brian Schatz (D-Hawai’i), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.).

“Each year, millions of visitors flock to Vacationland for a taste of The Way Life Should Be, as families are just a day’s drive or a quick flight away from sites that deliver lifelong memories without straining household budgets,” said Senator King, Chairman of the National Parks Subcommittee. “From our picturesque coastline to our lush forests and awe-inspiring mountains, there is something for everyone in Maine – which is why many small businesses throughout Maine have built their business models around the busy summer season. However, the coronavirus pandemic’s effects showed us just how vulnerable these businesses are to sudden shifts in consumer demand. In order to support the tourism industry and speed our economic recovery from the pandemic, we need to redouble our work to boost this vital part of our national economy. This legislation will unite a variety of government efforts under one federal office and one leader, strengthening our efforts to help the tourism industry grow and thrive.”

Senator King has fought to support Maine’s tourism industry and related economic sectors both prior to and during the coronavirus pandemic. In March, he voted in favor of the American Rescue Plan, which will allocate at least $56 million to support Maine small businesses through the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). The legislation also included a King-backed provision to create a $28.6 billion fund specifically designed to support independent restaurants and small franchisees struggling due to the pandemic.

In July 2020, Senator King wrote an op-ed to advocate for more federal support for Maine’s seasonal small businesses. He also sent a letter to Congressional leadership calling for additional funding for the Economic Development Administration (EDA)’s programs in future coronavirus economic recovery legislation. He is a lead sponsor of the Restore Our Parks Act legislation which was signed into law last year to address the maintenance backlog at national parks. The newly-enacted law will directly support 40,300 jobs and indirectly support 100,100 jobs over the next five years, according to a study by the National Parks Service. Additionally, Senator King has cosponsored legislation to reauthorize Brand USA, a public-private partnership that enhances tourism across the country through marketing campaigns that promote international travel to the United States. That legislation was signed into law in December 2019.

Source: United States Senator for Kansas – Jerry Moran

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today announced he will present the remains of Kansan Sergeant Carol Eugene Domer to the surviving family at Nemaha County Veterans’ Memorial in Seneca, Kan. on Memorial Day.

Sgt. Domer was killed in action off the coast of Papua New Guinea when his crew had to ditch their B-24 plane while returning from a bombing mission on January 1, 1943. Sen. Moran and family member Ken Domer have been working since 2003 to recover Sgt. Domer’s remains and return them to his final resting place at the Nemaha County Veterans’ Memorial.

“After sixteen years of work to bring Sgt. Domer’s remains back home to Kansas, I’m grateful to have the opportunity to present his family with this ring and honor his ultimate sacrifice during WWII,” said Sen. Moran. “I would also like to thank Ken Domer and his family for their persistent effort to recover Sgt. Domer’s remains, Pacific Wrecks for their insight into the crash area and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency for the recovery of Sgt. Domer’s remains and their work to bring peace to families of our country’s fallen servicemembers.”

Casework Background:

For all related photos and documents, please click HERE.

• December 2003: Ken Domer of Spearville, Kan., Sgt. Domer’s nephew, contacted then-Congressman Moran’s office with a request to have his uncle’s remains returned to Kansas. Then-Congressman Moran made this request to the Army upon determination of if the site of the crash was recoverable. The Army indicated the request had been shared with the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC).
• February 2004: JPAC informed then-Congressman Moran that Sgt. Domer’s loss was on their list for investigation/recovery and they were working to develop a strategy for underwater recoveries in Papua New Guinea. They later informed then-Congressman Moran that, at that time, JPAC was not able to survey the site of the crash to make a determination of whether recovery of Sgt. Domer’s remains was possible.
• June 2008: Then-Congressman Moran’s office requested a status update on Sgt. Domer’s case. The Army responded that the site of Sgt. Domer’s crash had yet to be surveyed.
• July 2012: Sen. Moran’s office inquired again into the status of recovering Sgt. Domer from the plane crash site to see if there was any new information available. The Army later informed Sen. Moran that JPAC’s November 2012 mission for the underwater investigation/survey of the wreckage in New Guinea has been rescheduled for January 2013 and recommended follow-up in March 2013.
• March 2013: Sen. Moran contacted JPAC about the New Guinea mission, who responded the mission had been rescheduled for a November 2013 timeframe.
• January 2015: JPAC transitioned into the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA).
• February 2015: After the mission was repeatedly delayed, Sen. Moran elevated the case to the Secretary of Defense’s (SecDef) office.
• April 2015: Sen. Moran was informed DPAA was working with the Navy regarding the navigability of the waters to assess the mission. Upon further research and Ken Domer’s personal knowledge, Sen. Moran’s staff found information that Pacific Wrecks, a non-governmental organization, had discovered Sgt. Domer’s plane in 2000 and completed a dive to the plane in 2002. This information was shared with SecDef’s office.
• June 2015: Sen. Moran was informed an investigative dive was scheduled for Jan. 2016. Sen. Moran later sent a letter to Director of DPAA Michael Linnington to make certain the investigation and recovery of Sgt. Domer was a priority in the Jan. 2016 planned missions.
• September 2015: Sen. Moran and Director Linnington met in person in Washington, D.C. Sen. Moran asked for a commitment to schedule the search for January 2016, and after hearing the details of the site, Director Linnington agreed. Sen. Moran’s staff stayed in continual contact with DPAA through the rest of year leading up to the investigative mission.
• January 2016: DPAA confirmed the investigative mission occurred. Later, DPAA provided an update that a recovery mission would be conducted. Several photos of the site where shared (Appendix A-D).
• November 2016: DPAA confirmed the recovery mission occurred and would share the report when completed after 3-6 months.
• April 2017: The Army shared the report (see “DPAA Search and Recovery Report” pdf).
• October 2017: Following a request for additional information, the Department of Defense responded to Ken about the artifacts found during the recovery mission (see “Material Evidence Report” pdf).
• September 2019: After nearly two years of waiting for DNA analysis on the ring, Sen. Moran began additional inquiries on the status of the case. Later, the Army produced a report that no DNA could be recovered from the ring.
• December 2019: Sen. Moran met with DPAA Director Kelly McKeague to officially request to provide the Domer family with the ring. In an effort to produce any evidence connecting the ring to Sgt. Domer, the Domer family discovered a photo of Sgt. Domer wearing the ring. The ring is seen on the third finger of his right hand. The photo was shared with DPAA (Appendix E). Following the proper approvals, the ring was delivered to Sgt. Domer’s next of kin, Mr. Robin R. Domer III on Monday, February 17, 2020.
• February 28, 2020: Sen. Moran flew an American flag over the U.S. Capitol in honor of Sgt. Domer’s 100th birthday.
• March 2020: Sen. Moran was invited to a memorial service at the Nemaha County Veterans’ Memorial Park on Memorial Day, May 23. It was later postponed due to COVID-19.
• May 2020: The Domer family shared a photo of the ring and American flag (Appendix F and G).
• May 31, 2021: Sen. Moran will attend Sgt. Domer’s memorial event to officially present the remains (the ring) and flag to the family.

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Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) announced the selection of four interns to serve in his Washington, D.C. Senate office for summer 2021. While in their roles, the interns will have the opportunity to learn about policymaking at the federal level while assisting in the daily operations of the office.

“Senate internships provide a unique opportunity for Idaho’s young leaders to get a front-row seat to our country’s legislative process,” said Risch. “These young professionals are well-prepared to serve in this role, and I am confident they will do an excellent job working on behalf of Idahoans.”

Senator Risch’s Washington, D.C. Interns:

Alethea Chaney is the daughter of Brad and Erin Chaney and grew up in Meridian. A graduate of the Ambrose School, she is currently studying human organization and development and philosophy at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Interested in family values and constitutional law, Alethea is looking forward to learning how philosophy of law is intertwined with public policy. Outside of work, Alethea enjoys yoga, tennis, and reading. 

Connor Lynch, son of Christopher and Catherine Lynch, was raised in Boise and graduated from Capital High School. A recent graduate of Whitworth University in Spokane, Connor earned degrees in international studies and mathematical economics. With strong interests in domestic commerce and economic policy, Connor is excited to follow Senator Risch’s work on the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. In his free time, Connor can be found exploring local museums and enjoying outdoor recreation. 

Ryan Palmer is the son of Jim and Shannon Palmer. Hailing from Meridian, Ryan graduated from Rocky Mountain High School and recently graduated from the University of Idaho with degrees in international studies and political science. Go Vandals! Interested in international affairs, specifically in relation to Europe and East Asia, Ryan hopes to learn more about the Senate’s role in crafting foreign policy. Ryan is a life-long hockey fan and enjoys spending time with his friends in downtown Boise.

Peyton Wade, son of Kevin and Pam Wade, hails from Boise and graduated from Centennial High School. A rising junior at Boise State University, Peyton is pursuing a degree in finance. During his internship, Peyton hopes to learn more about the federal budget and the appropriations process. Outside the office, Peyton enjoys basketball and playing the guitar.

 
From left to right: Connor Lynch, Ryan Palmer, Alethea Chaney, Peyton Wade.

The Congressional intern program is for college students who are interested in learning more about the legislative process and how Congress operates. Selection is made through an application process that includes submitting a resume, college transcript, and references.

Internships are available year-round in Sen. Risch’s Washington, D.C. office. Additional information and application materials may be found at https://www.risch.senate.gov. 

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