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.

Maine Senator King Praises Senate’s Passage of Budget Resolution

WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Budget Committee who contributed to the development of the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Resolution, praised its XX-XX passage today out of the Senate.

Several provisions championed by Senator King, including the Biennial Budgeting and Appropriations Actand an amendment to increase funding for low-income weatherization efforts, garnered broad, bipartisan support in the Senate. The broad support indicates that similar stand-alone legislation has a good chance of enactment into law.

Senator King said:

“Like so many Americans, I’ve been amazed that Congress has run the country on short-term, haphazard budgeting laws for the past four years. It’s exactly the reason why one of my highest priorities as a new United States Senator has been to help craft and pass a budget. I’m pleased that a major step toward that goal was accomplished today.

 “I believe the proposal the Senate passed is both reasonable and balanced. Not only does it replace sequestration, but it also forges a credible path toward fiscal stability by promoting economic growth and job creation while responsibly addressing our debt and deficits. 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. This exceeds the target set by the major non-partisan deficit reduction commissions and represents a significant step toward fiscal stability. Sixty-four percent of this deficit reduction is due to cuts in expenditures, while 36 percent is derived from revenues.

“I’m also pleased that the Senate supported a bipartisan provision sponsored my colleagues, Senators Shaheen and Isakson, which I cosponsored, that would significantly improve our budgetary process by converting to a two year budget cycle. The change would not only maximize taxpayer dollars and cut government waste, but it also would introduce budgetary stability so that investors, entrepreneurs, and consumers can once again regain confidence to invest in our economy.

“It’s also encouraging that the Senate supported an effort by Senators Reed and Collins and me to increase vital funding for low-income weatherization efforts that will help Mainers protect against bitterly cold winters, reduce their energy costs, and also curb America’s dependence on foreign energy sources by an estimated $50 million in the upcoming fiscal year.

“In the final analysis, I recognize that much negotiating still remains as the measure passed today heads to conference to be reconciled with the starkly different one passed by the House. I urge the President to play an active role in these negotiations and reiterate my call on my colleagues to recognize that we have an opportunity to collaboratively accomplish a comprehensive, compromise plan that addresses the most pressing fiscal needs of our nation.

“Lastly, it’s important to note that by developing, marking-up in committee, and debating a budget resolution on the floor, the Senate has moved one step closer toward returning to a regular budget process. As a strong believer in the idea that process dictates policy, this procedural achievement represents significant progress, and I’m hopeful that it will continue.”

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.”