King Calls on Congress to Quickly Pass Financial Assistance Legislation for Ukraine

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Ukraine Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk meets with President Obama and Congressional leaders today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, called on Congress to quickly pass a financial assistance package:

“As part of an effort to forge an international response to Russia’s clear violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, Congress should immediately move to consider and pass legislation to provide financial assistance to Ukraine, including through U.S. loan guarantees, as well an authorization for targeted sanctions to deter Russian abuses. Not only would this move help stabilize the country’s economy, but it would also demonstrate to Prime Minister Yatsenyuk that the United States is committed to preventing Russia from further challenging his country’s sovereignty.”

King Statement on Trip to the Middle East

King Statement on Trip to the Middle East

King says Kerry could be game-changer in Middle East peace equation.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after returning from a trip to the Middle East with Senator Tim Kaine, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern and Central and South Asian Affairs, and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

“First, it was extraordinarily valuable to meet with dozens of Americans who are serving our nation at U.S. embassies and consulates in the region. They provided unparalleled advice on some extremely difficult and complex issues. It was an honor to talk to those who are serving our country in these challenging and sometimes dangerous assignments.

“During our visit to Israel and the West Bank, I was encouraged by the results that Secretary of State Kerry and his team are achieving to develop a framework for peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Resolving this seemingly intractable challenge would do much to relieve tension in the Middle East.

“Secretary Kerry’s tenacity could be a game-changer, and after meeting with all of the key leaders and their top negotiators on both sides I am more hopeful than ever that a two-state solution is possible. The U.S. can help facilitate these negotiations, but it is ultimately up to the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority to resolve the most difficult questions and choose a peaceful resolution to decades of conflict. During my visit to an Israeli missile defense battery, I was reminded that the threat of rocket attacks from Gaza is a constant concern for Israelis and that it is vital that the parties place a priority on security cooperation as they seek to establish a mechanism for peace.

“During our visit to Israel, we spent several days meeting with regional leaders and security experts to discuss the ongoing nuclear negotiations between Iran and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany. I am convinced that we must ensure Iran never develops a nuclear weapon capability, and that we should use these negotiations to test whether the Iranian leadership is willing to relinquish its nuclear weapons ambitions in exchange for rejoining the community of nations.

“Finally, in Lebanon I was struck by the perseverance of the Lebanese people who face growing threats from terrorism, sectarian tensions, a burgeoning refugee catastrophe, and other spillover effects from the war in Syria. I was pleased to be one of the first American officials to meet with the leaders of Lebanon’s newly formed coalition government who universally expressed their gratitude for U.S. humanitarian and security assistance to Lebanon. It was humbling to pay my respects at a memorial to the hundreds of American military personnel and diplomats who have given their lives in Lebanon over the years. It was a solemn reminder of the heavy price our nation has paid to engage in the world over the years and a testament to those Americans who put their lives on the line to serve our country.”

BACKGROUND: During their trip to the Middle East, Senators King and Kaine traveled to Israel, the West Bank, and Lebanon. In Israel they visited an Iron Dome missile defense site near the Gaza border. In Jerusalem, they met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon.

In Ramallah in the West Bank, the Senators held substantive discussions with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, and Palestinian Authority chief negotiator Saeb Erekat. They also met with a group of Palestinian business leaders and entrepreneurs, Israeli Justice Minister and chief negotiator Tzipi Livni, and Members of the Israeli Knesset.

Over the course of their two-day visit to Lebanon, Senators King and Kaine met with Lebanese President Michel Sleiman, Prime Minister Tammam Salam, Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Commander General Jean Kahwagi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative Ninette Kelley, NGO representatives, and various Lebanese political figures.

Targeted Strike Oversight

Senate Intelligence Committee Approves King & Rubio Amendment to Provide Independent Check on Targeting Decisions

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence yesterday voted to approve an amendment authored by U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) that would require an independent alternative analysis, commonly referred to as a “red-team analysis,” be conducted if the government is considering the legality or the use of targeted lethal force against a known U.S. person located outside the U.S. who is involved in international terrorism. The provision, which Senators King and Rubio originally introduced in May as S. 1035, the Targeted Strike Oversight Reform Act of 2013, was adopted as an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2014 Intelligence Authorization Act.  The Committee approved the Authorization Act by a vote of 13-2 on Tuesday.

“Our amendment aims to provide an additional layer of accountability within the decision-making process when the government concludes that a U.S. person is engaged in international terrorism and that lethal force against them may be necessary to prevent an attack,” Senator King said. “In such a distinctive case, this amendment would ensure that an independent group – or ‘red team’ – reviews the facts and that the details of that review are shared with the Congressional Intelligence Committees. As I have said repeatedly, the executive branch should not serve as the judge, the jury and the executioner in these cases, and I believe this amendment is a vital step forward in balancing our critical national security needs with the basic constitutional rights that we cherish as Americans.” 

“I am pleased that the committee approved this measure to require an additional, independent review before the authorization of any lethal strikes against U.S. Citizens engaged in international terrorism overseas,” Senator Rubio said. “This commonsense legislation also improves accountability and oversight of counterterrorism policy by requiring this and future administrations to share important information about these programs with Congress and the intelligence community’s inspector general. By approving this measure, we're improving the balance between keeping our country safe from terrorists who plot against our people, and the accountability and oversight that are touchstones of our constitutional democracy.”

The King-Rubio amendment is identical to S. 1035, the Targeted Strike Oversight Reform Act of 2013, which would ensure independent oversight of cases where the head of a U.S. intelligence agency has determined that a U.S. person is engaged in international terrorism against the U.S., and the government is considering the legality or the use of targeted lethal force against that individual.  In such cases, the TSOR Act would trigger several notifications and independent reviews, including:

• Notification to the Director of National Intelligence (DNI)

• Requirement that the DNI establish an independent “red-team,” led by an individual who does not report to the intelligence agency making the determination, to conduct an alternative analysis and report its findings within 15 days

• Notification to the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community

• Notification to the congressional intelligence committees regarding the identity of the U.S. person and the results of the red-team alternative analysis

In early February, Senator King wrote to Senators Feinstein and Chambliss, Chair and Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee respectively, requesting that the Committee consider legislation to provide an appropriate check on the executive branch’s procedure for determining whether using lethal force in a foreign country against a U.S. citizen would be lawful.

The letter was a follow-up to Senator King’s suggestion to John Brennan during his confirmation hearing that an independent alternative analysis in the case of a targeted-strike against an American citizen should be considered. In his response, Mr. Brennan indicated that he and the Administration would be open to a discussion about the Senator’s proposal.

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Sen. King To US Senate: Rise Above Partisanship to Fix Nation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In his first major address on the floor of the United States Senate, Senator Angus S. King, Jr. today looked back across the storied history of America in appealing to his colleagues to rise above the partisan divide to find solutions to the nation’s most pressing problems.

The first Independent from Maine elected to the United States Senate, Senator King called on his colleagues to abandon the gridlock and ideological entrenchment that has pervaded Congress in recent years: “Our failure to act is a disservice to those who built what we have inherited,” Senator King said. “We have to understand that each generation must meet its own challenges and redefine this question with our eyes open to practical effects, without blinders of absolutism or ideology. As I look back on history, the great accomplishments of this body, the great accomplishments of this government, have rarely, if ever, been victories for one side or the other. Instead, they’ve been based upon hard-fought battles and grudging compromise; recognition of national needs, along with local interests, and a willingness to honor our most basic charge: to form a more perfect union. I hope, in a small way, to contribute to this search for solutions that are practical and effective.”

Senator King also underscored the importance of moderation in problem solving, saying: “There's no right answer. It can't be all one or the other; neither side has exactly the right response. We shouldn't be an uncontrolled central government, and we shouldn't be a government that's so dispersed that we can't do anything. The tension is hard-wired into our system, but I think it helps us to find balanced policy.”

In closing, Senator King summoned the words and wisdom of President Lincoln to urge his colleagues to think in new terms as the 113^thCongress wrestles with significant challenges: “We live in a time of accelerating change, and Mr. President, almost exactly one hundred and fifty years ago, our greatest President sent a message to Congress in the midst of the greatest crisis this country has ever faced. His message was about change and about how to deal with change – and was [meant] to try to shake Congress out of the lethargy of politics as usual, because we were in the midst of the Civil War. …Here's what Abraham Lincoln said: ‘The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and therefore we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew.’ And here's the key line: ‘We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.’ We must disenthrall ourselves; think in new and different ways – and then, we shall save our country.”

To watch Senator King’s speech, click here.

The speech, which was delivered from notes rather than prepared text, is as follows:

“Mr. President, I rise today with some humility because I rise in the footsteps of one of Maine’s greatest Senators, Olympia Snowe. I’m fortunate enough to succeed her in this seat. In the midst of the campaign a year or so ago, I also realized I was not only succeeding Olympia Snowe, but George Mitchell and Ed Muskie – two of the greatest legislators of the 20^thcentury. So it’s with some trepidation to be standing on the shoulders of those great members of this body.

Importance of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Angus King Meets with Navy Admiral; Underscores Importance of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, met yesterday with AdmiralJohn Richardson, Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, and a graduate of York High School in York, Maine. During the meeting, Senator King discussed the exceptional repair and overhaul work performed at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) and underscored the important role that PNSY plays in securing and protecting American national security at home and across the globe. The Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program is the joint Department of Energy and Department of Navy organization responsible for all aspects of the Navy's nuclear propulsion, including the operation and maintenance of naval nuclear propulsion plants and relatedoperations at facilitieslike Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

“Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is a first-rate facility with hardworking men and women whose repair and overhaul of our Navy’s nuclear-powered submarines contributes immeasurably to the safety and security of our nation,” said Senator King. “It was critical for me to meet Admiral Richardson to discuss range of issues related to the Navy’s nuclear propulsion program, including the importance of the PNSY – not only for the people of Maine, but for our national security as well – and I appreciate him taking the time to speak with me.”

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard's primary mission is the overhaul, repair, and modernization of Los Angeles-classnuclear-powered submarines.

Angus King's Statement On March Employment Report

WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement today in light of the March Employment Report from the U.S. Department of Labor, which showed that the U.S. economy gained 88,000 jobs while the unemployment rate dropped to 7.6 percent.

“Today’s job report is further proof that we are in the midst of a fragile economic recovery which is significantly affected by the actions – or inactions – of Congress. We should not be surprised that overall hires have slowed so considerably, but we should be disappointed. As we return to Washington next week, I hope my colleagues will see this report as impetus to press forward with the reconciliation of a budget that creates jobs and grows our economy while also addressing our nation’s long-term fiscal health.

“The budget that I helped craft and that recently passed the Senate forges a credible path toward fiscal stability. Taken in combination with steps enacted over the past two years, the plan reduces the projected deficit by more than 4 trillion dollars over the next ten years and makes critical investments in our deteriorating infrastructure, which if left unfixed, would be yet another debt to our children.

“Lastly, the fact remains that what these statistics don’t reveal are the real world implications for the 12 million unemployed and many more underemployed Americans who continueto struggle to put food on the table, to purchase medications, and to make ends meet. I truly hope this dismal report is a wake-up call for Congress to come together and find solutions for them and our country.”

FEMA Seeks Applicants for Youth Preparedness Council

WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is seeking applicants for its Youth Preparedness Council.

The Youth Preparedness Council provides an opportunity for young leaders to serve as a member of a national council, to complete a youth preparedness project of their choosing, to learn about youth disaster preparedness from leadership at FEMA and other national organizations, and to participate in the Youth Preparedness Council Summit where the council meets with emergency management leadership to discuss steps to strengthen the nation’s resiliency against all types of disasters.

Participants are expected to represent the youth perspective on emergency preparedness and relay information within their communities. Each council member is expected to develop and complete one preparedness-related project specific to his/her region and interests. In addition to attending the Summit in the summer of 2013, council members will potentially participate in national, regional, state, tribal and local preparedness meetings and present their work. It is expected that members will meet with FEMA on a regular basis via conference call to provide ongoing input on strategies, initiatives, and projects throughout the duration of their term.

Anyone between the ages of 12 and 17, who is engaged in individual and community preparedness, is encouraged to apply or be nominated to serve on the Youth Preparedness Council.  An individual may apply on his/her own behalf, or can be nominated by an adult familiar with his/her youth preparedness activities.  Individuals interested in applying must submit a completed application form, a narrative, and a letter of recommendation.  The letter of recommendation can be from any adult, including a parent, guardian, community first responder, or teacher.  Applications that do not include a letter of recommendation will not be reviewed.  Individuals interested in nominating a young leader to the council should complete the application form and narrative, but a letter of recommendation is not mandatory.  Specific information about completing and submitting the application and attachments can be found on the application.

All applications and supporting materials must be received no later than 11:59 E.D.T. on April 19, 2013 in order to be eligible.

Council members will be selected based on vacancies and announced in May 2013.  Once selected, members serve on the Council for one year, with the option to extend for an additional year, based on a formal request by FEMA.

For more information about the Youth Preparedness Council, and to visit FEMA’s work on youth preparedness, and to access the application materials, please visit www.ready.gov/youth-preparedness.

Senators on US, Israel Relations

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, along with a bipartisan group of 75 other senators, today sent a letter to President Obama urging him to reaffirm his commitment to working closely with the new government of Israel and to oppose Palestinian efforts to either circumvent direct negotiations with Israel or delegitimize Israel.

The Senators wrote:

“Palestinian efforts to bypass direct negotiations with Israel by taking unilateral steps for international recognition are, in our view, unacceptable. When you meet with Palestinian leaders, you should make clear that the pathway for peace is through unconditional direct negotiations between both the Israelis and Palestinians and that the United States vigorously opposes any Palestinian efforts to circumvent direct negotiations.”

The Senators also urge the President to identify and promote policy solutions, such as Iron Dome, that address the urgent and important security challenges facing both Israel and the United States. “We also hope that you will reiterate the United States’ support for Israel, her right to defend herself, and the Iron Dome project.  In such a tumultuous region of the world, and during such challenging times, a strong relationship between our two countries has never been more important.”

In addition to Senators Collins and King, the letter was signed by Senators Cardin, Menendez, Corker, Boxer, Rubio, Casey, Flake, Shaheen, Barrasso, Coons, McConnell,  Murphy, Chambliss, Schumer, Cornyn, Stabenow, Vitter, Cantwell, Kirk, Mikulski, Coats, Klobuchar,  Blunt, Whitehouse, Moran, Mark Udall, Boozman, Hagan, Grassley, Landrieu, Lee, Bennet, Cruz, Gillibrand, Fischer, Manchin, Cochran, Wyden, Isakson, Blumenthal, Johanns, Tester, Burr, Heinrich, Crapo, Schatz,  Hatch, Hirono, Roberts, Franken, Murkowski, Baucus, Scott, McCaskill, Wicker, Merkley, Heller, Begich, Portman, Donnelly, Thune, Pryor, Tim Johnson, Lautenberg, Sherrod Brown, Warner, Ayotte, Graham, Hoeven, Toomey, Sessions, Ron Johnson, Reed, Alexander and Paul.

The full text of the letter is as follows:

Maine Senator King Statement on Introduction of Senate Budget

Maine Senator King Statement on Introduction of Senate Budget


Wednesday, March 13, 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement after the Committee formally unveiled its budget blueprint today for the upcoming fiscal year:

“Since arriving in the Senate in January, I have been working to craft a budget resolution for the first time in four years. I believe the blueprint unveiled by the Committee’s majority today establishes a responsible, balanced approach to addressing our nation’s long-term economic health by including an equal mix of spending reductions and revenue increases that, when taken together, chart a serious and credible path forward.

“While I’m pleased with the progress we have made, I nonetheless realize that there are reservations on both sides of the aisle. This debate is ultimately and most fundamentally about the role and size of American government. As an Independent, I see value on both sides of the debate as well as the good intentions of the Senators making their respective arguments. No one doubts that we all share the same goal, which is to achieve a successful and prosperous America. We are working hard to arrive at a point where we have a solution in hand, and moving forward I remain committed to creating a budget that successfully creates jobs and grows our economy while at the same time addresses our long-term fiscal health.”