Protecting our National Parks
Our National Parks play a huge role in what we think about when we think of America, from Acadia and the National Mall in the East to Yosemite and Denali in the West, they hold a special place for millions of Americans. They connect us with our history and the natural world. They restore us, they inspire us and they recharge us. They are, as Wallace Stegner once said, “America’s Best Idea.” And like everywhere in the last fifteen months, this has been a difficult period for the National Parks system: frontline park employees had to change how and even if they could interact with the public, and many park services and visitors centers have been forced to shutter.
I anticipate that 2021 will be a record visitation year for National Parks, so it's vital that we ensure that park employees have the resources they need to welcome the crowds. Earlier this month, I held the inaugural hearing in the 117th Congress for the Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks to discuss how the Park Service, gateway communities, concessionaires, and visitors all weathered this difficult time and how we will move forward.
The witnesses at the hearing included:
- Ken Burns, Emmy-winning documentarian and director of The National Parks: America’s Best Idea;
- Shawn Benge, Acting Director of the National Park Service;
- David MacDonald, President & CEO of Friends of Acadia;
- Scott Socha, Chairman of National Park Hospitality Association.
It is my hope that this hearing will inform our work for the rest of this Congress, especially as we work closely with the National Park Service to fulfill the rewarding responsibilities that come with the Great American Outdoors Act, which Congress passed last year.
Read more:
Honoring Memorial Day
On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln stood on the battlefield at Gettysburg, where just months earlier, the Union Army turned the tide of the Civil War and forever changed the fate of our nation. Speaking at the ceremony for the Gettysburg National Cemetery, President Lincoln said, “We can not dedicate – we can not consecrate – we can not hallow – this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract…It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.”
Now, nearly 160 years removed from the Civil War, President Lincoln’s words still ring true. It is incumbent on all Americans to come together every day in pursuit of a more perfect union. It is incumbent on all Americans to reflect on the service of our nation’s fallen and honor their sacrifice through our words and deeds. It is incumbent on all Americans to remember the values for which our servicemembers fought and died, commit to caring for their loved ones, and fulfill the promise of a better future in their memory.
In Maine, with our storied history of service to the nation, we are fortunate to have many Veterans Service Organizations, business leaders, and community members across the state who work tirelessly to support Maine veterans and pay respect to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This commitment is a testament to Maine’s patriotism and sense of duty. And while today we remember the fallen, so too should we reflect on the service of the men and women stationed around the globe in defense of our nation, and pause to honor those who were held as prisoners of war or remain missing in action.
On this Memorial Day, let us be thankful for the brave servicemembers who fought and died so we may be free. It is our solemn responsibility to honor their memory and dedicate ourselves to the unfinished work that they so nobly advanced. May God bless you and may God bless the United States of America.
May Podcast: Fighting for Funding for State and Local Governments
As a former governor, I understand just how crucial the day-in, day-out efforts of state and local governments are to the life of Maine people – and the importance of our public workforce has only grown during the coronavirus pandemic. Maine will receive nearly $1.5 billion in aid to state, county, and local governments through the American Rescue Plan, which I supported when it passed in March. The funding includes more than $997 million to the State of Maine, more than $221 million to support Maine’s county governments, and a combined total of nearly $241 million for local governments.
Throughout this crisis, Maine’s state and local governments have led the way in providing essential services for our citizens. The increased demand for services has stretched these governments, making it absolutely essential that Congress provide support. This important funding from the American Rescue Plan meets this need, sending critical resources to support our state, our counties, our cities, and our towns. I was proud to vote for these funds, and I am confident that our state and local leaders will effectively use the federal support to both address the immediate challenges we face and support Maine’s long-term success.
Senator Jon Tester and Bangor City Manager Cathy Conlow Join Inside Maine to Discuss State & Local Funding
 
The May edition of the Inside Maine podcast highlights the challenges that state and local governments have faced during the coronavirus pandemic while maintaining vital services to care for Americans, and the badly-needed assistance that came their way through Congress’ passage of the American Rescue Plan.
In this episode, Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) joined me to discuss negotiations that led to the passage of the American Rescue Plan, and Bangor City Manager Cathy Conlow also participated in the broadcast to lay out the local need for federal assistance and the difference that the American Rescue Plan funds are making.
The “Inside Maine Podcast with Senator Angus King” is a 30-minute program that aims to help keep Maine people informed about issues of the day, how they affect life in the state, and how they factor into my work as one of two independents in the U.S. Senate. The podcast builds on an existing radio show that airs on Newsradio WGAN in Portland, Maine between 10 and 11 a.m. on almost every last Saturday of the month. The link to the May podcast can be found HERE.
Bath Iron Works Visit
It was a pleasure to host Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral Mike Gilday's first visit to Bath Iron Works with Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Congressman Jared Golden (D-Maine).
I’ve long believed that ‘one day of seeing is better than one hundred days of reading', and on May 10th, the CNO lived by that mantra by coming to get a firsthand look at the important work being done at Bath Iron Works.
The ships being built at BIW are the workhorses of the Navy, playing an outsized role in our national defense – and they’re all the product of the skill and dedication of Maine’s shipbuilders.
I’m grateful to the CNO for taking the time to visit BIW, which is an essential part of our national defense infrastructure and a major economic engine for the State of Maine. In the months ahead, I'll continue collaborating with Navy leaders and my colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee to ensure that this shipyard has the tools it needs to continue bolstering our national defense and supporting thousands of good-paying jobs for families throughout Maine.
WSJ Op-ed: Congress Fights Back Against Cyberattacks
Cybersecurity has for years been a wonky, abstract concern to most Americans. No longer. The long gasoline lines and price spikes resulting from the Colonial Pipeline attack were a wake-up call, the moment cyber got real for millions. The ransomware attack disrupted one of the largest refined-gasoline pipelines in the U.S. for six days, and is part of a disturbing trend. Our adversaries no doubt are noting the economic and societal cost inflicted; the number of people directly or indirectly affected by a malicious cyberattack is only going to rise.
As Co-Chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, I’ve been working for over two years to provide recommendations to the federal government to better improve our cybersecurity defense posture. The urgency has never been greater to act and defend our public and private sectors from bad actors in the cyber realm. My Co-Chair, Representative Mike Gallagher, a Republican from Wisconsin, and I wrote an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal laying out our vision and the road ahead. Read more HERE.
Legislative Update
As a reminder, you can read more on my regularly updated press release page at king.senate.gov. Here are some other priorities I’ve been working on:
- Combatting the "tax gap" so all Americans pay what they owe. I joined Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) to introduce the Stop Corporations and High Earners from Avoiding Taxes and Enforce the Rules Strictly (Stop CHEATERS) Act to reverse trends that have undermined the IRS’s enforcement ability; over the last decade, the IRS’s budget has been cut by 20%, leading to the IRS disproportionally auditing lower income earners. Read more HERE.
- Expanding free meal eligibility for children who live with grandparents or other caregivers. The Caregivers Access and Responsible Expansion (CARE) for Kids Act of 2021 would provide significant financial relief for grandparents or caregivers who unexpectedly become caregivers for displaced youth, and ensure that vulnerable young Americans have access to a steady source of nutrition. Read more HERE.
- Supporting Tribal access to broadband. The Extending Tribal Broadband Priority Act of 2021 would provide tribal nations and Native Hawaiian organizations with additional time they need to apply for spectrum licenses for unassigned spectrum over their own lands--a critical step to expanding broadband access in their communities. Read more HERE.
- Encouraging the social-emotional health of young people. I reintroduced the Social-Emotional Learning for Families (SELF) Act to direct the Department of Education to establish a competitive grant program that supports the development, implementation, and evaluation of successful teacher and school leader training programs on family engagement. Read more HERE.
Connecting with Maine People through the Pandemic
Capitol Class with Stearns Junior High School in Millinocket
Even as the pandemic changes the way we interact, I've made it a priority to engage with Maine people from all walks of life and helpful organizations to address questions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic and identify remaining work to be done. Last May, I held a tele-town hall, inviting all Maine people to call in toll-free, to listen and respond to questions about coronavirus response efforts. Since March 2020, I've participated in teleconferences and phone calls with:
- Maine healthcare providers and advocates, such as the Maine Dental Association and Protect our Care.
- Maine students and educators, including the 16 Maine 2020 County Teachers of the Year, Maine Jump$tart Coalition’s two Finance Educators of the Year, school psychologists, MLTI Virtual Student Conference, University of Maine System Student Veterans, and civics and history teachers from schools across Maine.
- Maine business and community leaders, including members of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association, Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce, the New England Council, 120 of Portland’s small business owners and 500 Maine employees of Sun Life.
- Maine nonprofits including the Maine Association of Nonprofits (MANP), United Way and YMCA Youth Advocates from Maine.
- Maine seniors in a call hosted by AARP Maine.
- Maine democracy-focused organizations, such as the Maine League of Women Voters.
Coming out of COVID
(via @anguskingmaine on Instagram)
Live music at Lenny’s in Westbrook, after more than a year of quarantine, endless Zooms (“you’re still on mute” was the most uttered sentence in America last year), and fogged glasses from the mask. It’s as if everyone is drawing a collective deep breath and looking for someone to hug.
Thanks to all those who have helped us through—from the scientists who developed the vaccines in record time, to the medical heroes who stayed at their posts, to those we only recently realized were “essential” like grocery clerks and truck drivers. We’re not entirely out of the woods, but for a couple of hours, listening to Bruce Marshall and just hanging with friends, the end seemed at least in sight.
In the News
Thank you!
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***PLEASE NOTE***
Due to the impacts of COVID-19, my staff in Washington, D.C. are working remotely – but we’re still at work, ready to help you navigate any challenges you’re facing during this challenging time.
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