A Bill About Saving Lives

On the evening of October 25th in Lewiston, we lost 18 parents, children, cousins, friends and neighbors from an act of senseless violence. And within the span of a few hours, our community felt the horrors of what too many American neighborhoods have now experienced — losing that feeling of safety at their local restaurants, recreation centers, schools, places of worship, concerts and even just on the local street corner.

In the days and weeks since then, I have joined Maine people as we grieved and shared stories of the legacy the Lewiston victims left behind. The loss of these 18 people cast a difficult shadow over last week’s Thanksgiving, as we continued to process the tragedy.

Maine came together, including the Governor, my colleagues in our Congressional delegation, and even the President, to remember those we lost and support each other as we work toward healing. As I said on the floor of the United States Senate and again that awful day after Lewiston: mourning these deaths was the first priority; there would be time to talk policy solutions later which can reduce the chances of yet another community being torn apart in Maine or anywhere else.

But now the time for that discussion has come.

For years, I’ve been talking to people across the state of Maine — parents, sportsmen, hunters, and community leaders — and working with colleagues to craft policies that make these tragedies less likely. Saving lives now and in the future has been my single goal.

Universal background checks, red flag laws, and a strengthened mental health system are all part of the solution. But as Lewiston taught us, we must also look at the weapons like the one used that night in Maine and what makes them so deadly.

That’s why my colleague Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, an avid sportsman himself, and I, have put together an approach to better protect communities from mass shootings, while protecting the 2nd amendment rights of law-abiding Americans.

Our legislation, called the Gas-Operated Semiautomatic Firearm Exclusion (GOSAFE) Act, is focused on the way large capacity, semiautomatic weapons operate — the type of firearm used in Lewiston and most of the deadliest mass shootings across our country. For years, I have said that rather than use model numbers or the appearance of these guns to restrict them, we should instead focus our attention on the mechanisms of these weapons and what makes them especially dangerous.

To that point, my legislation with Senator Heinrich would do the following:

Limit the number of rounds that a gun’s magazine can contain, and require those magazines to be permanent — eliminating the ability for gunmen in mass shootings to replace a magazine and reload their weapons rapidly.
Build on previous legislative efforts by prohibiting the sale of certain semiautomatic firearms that have replaceable high capacity magazines
Make lethal conversion devices like bump stocks and Glock switches which convert a conventional rifle or handgun to fully automatic operation — effectively a machine gun — unlawful.

This law wouldn’t change Maine’s proud history of responsible gun ownership — it makes commonsense exceptions for traditional hunting firearms and those used in self-defense, for example. What this bill will do is curb opportunities for people intending to commit mass killing, without hindering the marksmen who head to the shooting range or the woods during hunting season. By mandating permanently fixed magazines, it would eliminate the opportunity for shooters to rapidly reload their weapon — a critical moment for potential victims to escape or for responders to neutralize the shooter.

This isn’t, and shouldn’t become, a partisan issue. And for the most part, saving lives from these weapons isn’t. In fact, nationally, there is broad agreement: President Trump banned “bump stocks” in 2019; 82 percent of Americans support universal background checks; 72 percent of Americans support a national “red flag” law; and almost two-thirds of Americans believe that so-called assault weapons should be banned. Even the late Supreme Court Justice Scalia, a staunch pro-gun conservative, said:

“Like most rights, the right secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimited…commentators and courts routinely explained that the right was not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose…[N]othing in our opinion should be taken to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms.”

I realize that nothing can bring back the lives of our family and friends, but responsible actions moving forward can reduce the likelihood of such a nightmare happening again in Maine or anywhere else. We owe the victims in Lewiston no less.

You can learn more about the GOSAFE Act on my website or by watching my recent interview on MSNBC.
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A Season of Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving is a holiday that brings Maine people together over turkey and Maine blueberry pie — an opportunity to spend time with family and reflect upon the blessings we have each been given.

I was fortunate to be able to spend time with my family and loved ones over the Thanksgiving holiday back home in Maine. From simple household chores to prepping our Thanksgiving meal, the holiday was a special time to give thanks for this past year. And while we have so much to be grateful for, I couldn't help but think about our friends in Lewiston, as well as those endangered in the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

With Congress back in session for the final push this year, there's a lot of work to be done to ensure we are taking care of our friends and family here at home in Maine, while supporting those endangered and devastated by war abroad. Thank you to each one of you for working with me to make Maine, and our global community, a better place than it was yesterday.

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Supporting Maine Veterans as they Transition to Civilian Life

In November we celebrated Veterans Day, a time when we honor the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Guardians, and Sentinels who served our nation. This Veterans Day, I had the privilege of speaking with Beth Parks of Corea, a Vietnam War nurse turned trailblazing wildlife biologist. Her story is incredible and I hope you'll take some time to listen to it for yourself in my latest episode of "Answering the Call: Maine's Veteran Voices."

Beth and the brave men and women who answered the call to serve represent the very best of our nation and we owe it them to them to serve them as they have served us — especially as they enter the next chapter of their lives after retiring from the service. Every year approximately 200,000 servicemembers transition out of military service into civilian life. Whether the servicemember is finishing their first deployment or retiring, transitioning back into civilian life is a major life event full of uncertainties. After years of structure and order, the transition to the civilian world can feel like a difficult journey without a game plan.

In October, the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee held a joint hearing, one that I requested, to ensure federal agencies work together to ensure a smooth transition and “warm hand-off” as servicemembers transition to civilian life. For example, many servicemembers have specialized job skills from their roles in the military that can be easily transferred to the civilian workforce. When agencies work together to remove red tape, veterans will face fewer barriers to employment in the civilian job market — especially at a time when there are workforce shortages across the country.

I also led a letter alongside my Republican colleague from Louisiana, Senator Bill Cassidy, urging the Department of Labor to allow transitioning servicemembers to be eligible for the Jobs for Veterans State Grant (JVSG). Not only would this change allow servicemembers to get connected with quality jobs after their service concludes, it would also help bolster the civilian workforce with highly skilled veterans. It's a win-win.

So, it's simple: we need to make sure our veterans have easy access to the benefits they deserve and provide them with opportunities to land a good paying civilian job — all before leaving the service. Thanks to our servicemembers and veterans, we get to enjoy the American way of life. Now it’s up to all of us to return the favor.

Strengthening Maine's Forestry Industry

The Maine forestry industry is not only inseparable from our history and culture, it is also foundational to our state's economy — supporting nearly 14,000 jobs across the state. As the industry continues to evolve, we must ensure our forestry workforce has the proper training and skills to help responsibly manage our forests while growing our local economies.

In October, I introduced the bipartisan Jobs in the Woods Act which would make substantial investments to support new and innovative workforce programs in the timber industry. This bill will help Maine people get good, quality jobs and secure the future of our state’s timber industry.

We also need to make sure we're responsibly tracking the health of our forests and preparing for a prosperous future. That’s why I introduced the bipartisan Timber Innovation Act for Building Rural Communities Act. This bill would require the United States Department of Agriculture to establish carbon impact monitoring and would set up grant programs designed specifically to support Maine wood product businesses.

In November, my colleagues and I wrote a letter urging the Government Services Agency to incorporate more mass timber products into federal construction and renovation projects. The use of mass timber products would help to reduce the carbon footprint, increase the resiliency of federal buildings, curb waste and construction costs, and further support Maine's forestry industry.

The forestry industry supports the livelihoods of many Maine families — and is a point of pride for those who have passed down the trade from generation to generation. We need to make sure our forestry workers have the proper training and skills to help responsibility manage our forests, as well as ensure the health of all forests across our state.

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Advocating for Maine Businesses

When a consumer sees a 'Made in the USA' label, they know they're purchasing a high-quality product and supporting American jobs. But under current conditions, businesses that make their products in the U.S. face a patchwork of different state laws. These differences in state regulations can be confusing and have prevented some American manufacturers from using the labels, threatening the economic livelihood of local businesses and making it harder for consumers to make well-informed purchases.

So, I teamed up with my Republican colleague Senator Mike Lee from Utah to introduce the Reinforcing American-Made Products Act. This bipartisan bill would ensure that the 'Made in the USA' label is a simple, straightforward way to help consumers make informed decisions about the products they buy. We need to make sure we're cutting red tape and streamlining the process so American businesses, workers and consumers can succeed.

And in November, ahead of a busy winter tourism season, I was excited to announce alongside Senator Collins that an additional 64,000 non-agriculture H-2B visas will be made available. These visas are a welcome relief for small businesses throughout Maine that continue to face a shortage of employees and will ensure they are able to meet the increasing demand for their products and services — creating a lifeline for our state economy.

Highlighting Cybersecurity Awareness Month

In the 21st century, we’ll continue to become more interconnected — creating incredible new opportunities, and serious new vulnerabilities, so it is imperative that Maine people prepare to face these new challenges. The threats are serious, so our response must be as well.

Since 2004, October has been recognized as Cybersecurity Awareness Month — a month dedicated to the public and private sectors working together to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity. As we continue to become more interconnected online, we need to be extra diligent in making sure we are safe and secure online.

For October's "Inside Maine," podcast, I sat down with Jen Easterly, the U.S. Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and Dr. Henry Felch, the Program Coordinator for the Cybersecurity program at the University of Maine Augusta on my 'Inside Maine' podcast to highlight the importance of Cybersecurity Month and what we can do in Maine to protect ourselves.

While online threats are always evolving, you can help ‘Secure Our World’ by adopting four simple steps stay safe online: use strong passwords; turn on multifactor authentication; recognize and report phishing and scams; and update software.

You can listen to the episode of my podcast here.

Happenings Around Town

From hosting a Capitol Classes with brilliant students all across Maine to kicking off a new partnership with our friends up in Canada, it's been a busy both in Maine and in Washington!

Spending time with Fort Fairfield Middle High School students for Capitol Class

One of the best parts of the job is when I get to teach a Capitol Class with students in Maine. In both October and November, I joined three different schools across Maine to talk about the role of Congress, what a day in the life of Senator looks like and other important news of the day. From Lewiston High School to Yarmouth High School to Fairfield Middle High School, I had the best time engaging with our bright young Maine students and was so impressed by their fantastic questions.

Accepting the Navy League Capital Council Award, a binnacle that served on the Sioux Falls Victory battleship in WWII, Korea and Vietnam

On Capitol Hill, I was honored by the Navy League Capital Council as the 2023 recipient of its Congressional Sea Services Award. It was such an honor to receive this award and I was proud to accept it on behalf of Maine's sailors, sentinels and shipbuilders who work together to protect and secure our waters.

Celebrating the launch of the American Canadian Economy and Security (ACES) Caucus

Maine has always had a strong relationship with our neighbors in Canada. It’s important to me that we work to further strengthen this relationship — the success of both of our countries are closely tied with millions of jobs and goods crossing our borders. That's why I joined my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to start the the American Canadian Economy and Security (ACES) Caucus. Our common values allow us to work together on key national security issues in defense of North America.

Speaking with students at the University of Maine Law School in Portland

A strong civics education is foundational to continuing our nation’s promise to keep working toward a ‘more perfect union.’ In October, I had the opportunity to stop by the University of Maine Law School in Portland and talk with students about the important role our Constitution plays as a blueprint for freedom and democracy — not just here at home but across the globe.

October and November Policy 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.

Improving Access to Local Journalism. My colleagues and I wrote a letter to the FCC urging the agency to improve access to local media. The shift from broadcast, cable and satellite to streaming has had a profound impact on existing laws, regulations and agreements. This letter urges the FCC to promote the viability of local broadcast stations and localism. Read more HERE.
Strengthening Ties with Iceland. The Nordic Trader and Investor Parity Act is a bipartisan bill to expand and improve economic ties with Iceland. Currently, Icelanders are not eligible for economic visas to visit and conduct business in the United States, one of the only Arctic nations whose residents face such a barrier. Read more HERE.
Supporting Healthy Childhoods. I worked with Senator Lisa Murkowski to introduce the bipartisan Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (PACE) Act. This bill would authorize grants to public health entities for the prevention of negative events during childhood like violence, abuse or neglect. Read more HERE.
Encouraging Ranked Choice Voting. Alongside my colleague, Senator Michael Bennet, I introduced legislation to incentivize states to adopt Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) for federal elections. RCV is the fastest growing election reform in the nation and here in Maine we are leading the way. Read more HERE.
Cutting Energy Costs Ahead of Winter. I joined my colleagues in a bipartisan letter calling on the Biden Administration to help lower energy costs ahead of the winter season. More than 45,000 Maine households have benefited from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the need still exists. Read more HERE.

Hearing Highlights

We’ve had a busy month of hearings in the Senate Armed Services, Veterans’ Affairs and Intelligence Committees. Here are some of the highlights:

Earlier this year, upon receiving my assignment to the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee (SVAC), I requested a joint hearing of SVAC and the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) to discuss a “warm hand-off” between the agencies from active duty to veteran status. This month, during the joint hearing, we brought in experts to discuss how we can best help our servicemembers transition smoothly into civilian life.

As Chair of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, I was excited to learn earlier this month that the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States released its final unclassified report. During the subcommittee hearing, we dug into the report's findings to gain greater insight into how we can best defend ourselves against our adversaries.

In The News

MSNBC — Senator Angus King joins Morning Joe
Portland Press Herald — Sen. King unveils legislation to restrict deadliness of assault weapons
Bangor Daily News — OpEd: We owe the victims of the Lewiston shooting responsible action to prevent more gun violence
Biddeford, Saco, OOB Courier — OpEd: Helping older Maine people 'Stand Strong' in their golden years
MaineBiz — King introduces bill to strengthen, protect Maine forests
WGME — Maine Senators Collins, King sign resolution supporting Israel
Spectrum News — Maine Delegation want DeJoy to address ‘unacceptable’ postal deficiencies
Maine Wire — Collins and King Co-Sponsor Legislation Aimed At Improving Export Opportunities for Maine Farmers
News Center Maine — Congressional leaders push for more H-2B visas nationwide as Maine's winter tourism season grows

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