WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior issued the following news release: The Biden-Harris administration today announced the approval of the SouthCoast Wind Project the nation's 11th commercial-scale offshore wind energy project approved under President Biden's leadership. With today's approval, the Department and its Bureau of Ocean Energy Management have approved over 19 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy from offshore wind energy projects enough to power more than 6 million  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-Md.) celebrated passage this week of America's Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Reauthorization Act in the U.S. Senate. The legislation reauthorizes important habitat and wildlife conservation efforts in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and throughout the country. The bipartisan legislation builds on previous efforts to protect and preserve ecosystems from evolv more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- The U.S. Department of Education has released the following public communication dated Dec. 16, 2024, from the National Disability Rights Network and 30 collaborators: * * * To: Stephanie Valentine PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance, Office of the Chief Data Officer Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development U.S. Department of Education Washington, DC 20002 RE: Mandatory Civil Rights Data Collection: Docket ID: ED-2024-SCC-0128 Submitte more ST

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, issued the following news release: Congressman lauds exclusion of Member raises and debt ceiling suspensionCongressman Jared Golden (ME-02) tonight voted for a Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government open until March 14, provide disaster relief funding and extend the must-pass Farm Bill for one year. The deal, approved by the House in a 366-34 vote, excludes provisions Golden opposed in earlier iterations, such as a raise and more gen more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico, issued the following news release: Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.), celebrated the Senate's passage of their bipartisan Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation (SOAR) Act, legislation to improve the permitting process for outfitters, educational organizations, and community groups to access public land. The legislation was included in the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPL more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, and U.S. Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) announced that their bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) through 2030 has passed the Senate, as part of the America's Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act of 2024. The bill now heads to the President's  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation issued the following news release: Investments will help reduce wildlife vehicle collisions that result in thousands of serious injuries, hundreds of fatalities, and more than $10 billion in medical costs and property damage each year. The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) today announced $125 million in grants for 16 wildlife crossing projects in 16 states, including one Native American Tribe. more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration issued the following news release: The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) today announced $125 million in grants for 16 wildlife crossing projects in 16 states, including one Native American Tribe. The funding is available through the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, a new grant program in its second round of awards that was created by President Biden's Bipartisan  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Angus S. King Jr., I-Maine, issued the following news release: Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Co-Chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, along with Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jerry Moran (R-KS), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) have introduced first-of-its-kind legislation that establishes federal oversight of artificial intelligence to safeguard U.S. national security interests against chemical, biolog more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 -- The U.S. Navy issued the following high-value contract information through the Pentagon dated Dec. 20, 2024. PACIFIC DEFENSE CONTRACTING LLC, Bangor, Maine (N00023-25-D-0068), was awarded a share of up to $1,425,000,000 multiple award, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide logistical capabilities which supports the six phases of the continuum of military operations in support of the geographic combatant command's joint operations, c more ST

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Washington, issued the following news release on Dec. 19, 2024: Yesterday, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) joined her fellow Blue Dog Coalition Co-Chair, Rep. Jared Golden (ME-02), on CNN's The Lead with Jake Tapper to discuss their continued opposition to an increase in pay for Members of Congress, as included in the proposed stopgap measure this week. Earlier this year, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez joined her bipartisan colleagues to succ more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: * * * "Vermont has experienced historic and devastating floods over the past two years," said Sanders, who is a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which has jurisdiction over the water infrastructure legislation. "And the somber reality is that this type of extreme weather is going to happen again. The good news is this bill will help Vermont complete important work on criti more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona, issued the following news release: Today, Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Senator Todd Young (R-IN), Representative John Garamendi (D-CA-8), and Representative Trent Kelly (R-MS-1) introduced the Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security (SHIPS) for America Act, comprehensive legislation to revitalize the United States shipbuilding and commercial maritime industries. After decades of neglect, the United States has a weakened more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) applauded the Senate's unanimous passage of their bipartisan Invest to Protect Act to boost local police departments' access to training, mental health support, recruitment and retention resources. "Many Iowans have told me they're concerned about the low recruitment and retention rates of police officers in their communities," Grassley s more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced that the Senate passed his bipartisan Outdoors for All Act, legislation that would expand outdoor recreational opportunities in urban and low-income communities across the nation. The bill passed today as part of the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act, which previously passed the U.S. House of Representatives and now he more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Susan M. Collins, R-Maine, issued the following news release: Senators Susan Collins and Alex Padilla (D-CA) announced that the Senate unanimously passed their bipartisan Outdoors for All Act, legislation that will expand outdoor recreational opportunities in low-income communities across the nation. The bill passed today as part of the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act, which previously passed the U.S. House of Representatives and n more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Susan M. Collins, R-Maine, issued the following news release: Senators Susan Collins and Tina Smith (D-MN) introduced bipartisan legislation to improve access to health care and address the physician shortage in rural areas. The Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2024 would authorize the Rural Residency Planning and Development Program to continue providing start-up funding to rural hospitals, medical schools, and other organizations to establish new rur more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Christopher Coons, D-Delaware, issued the following news release: Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) celebrated passage today of his bipartisan legislation with Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to create a U.S. Foundation for International Conservation (USFIC) as part of the fiscal year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill was led in the House by Representatives Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.). Representative Dave Joyce (R-Ohio) led t more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-New Hampshire, issued the following news release on Dec. 19, 2024: U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) issued the following statements after the Senate passed by a vote of 97-1 the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, biennial legislation that authorizes water infrastructure projects across the country. The bill recently passed the House of Representatives and is now headed to the President's desk. "Protecting and more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, took to the Senate floor to warn against the impacts of a possible Republican-manufactured government shutdown on Granite Staters, and called for her colleagues to pass the bipartisan agreement to keep the government open and provide disaster relief, including for funding that would go to New Hamps more PR

ORONO, Maine, Dec. 20 -- The University of Maine System issued the following news release on Dec. 19, 2024: * * * Using one-time Congressionally Directed Spending secured by U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King, the University of Maine at Presque Isle plans to build out an allied dental classroom and clinic so the University of Maine at Augusta can deliver in-demand allied dental health education and community care in northern Maine * * * PRESQUE ISLE, Maine -- As part of strategic effort more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, issued the following news release: Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) reintroduced the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Defense and Enhancement Act, a bill to reinvigorate the United States' manufacturing capacity and end the nation's reliance on foreign countries for critical drugs used by millions of Americans. 77% of the facilities that manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) used in drugs consu more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- The U.S. Department of Defense issued the following news: John B. Goodenough, a former soldier, was awarded the Nobel Prize for helping create the lithium-ion battery, used today in a plethora of civilian and military systems, including vehicles, cellphones and laptops. Their advantages include high-energy output, light weight and long lifespan. So important are these batteries to the military that the Defense Department published the "Lithium Battery Strategy 2023-20 more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- Sen. Todd Young, R-Indiana, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and U.S. Representatives Trent Kelly (R-MS-1) and John Garamendi (D-CA-8) introduced theShipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security (SHIPS) for America Act, comprehensive legislation to revitalize the United States shipbuilding and commercial maritime industries. After decades of neglect, the United States has a weakened ship more PR