Bills would close free drilling loophole in Gulf of Mexico, increase fines for oil and gas spills or violations   Washington (May 13, 2015) – Senator Edward J.  Markey (D-Mass.) continued his legislative push on energy today with the introduction of two bills that would hold gas and oil companies accountable for their drilling... Read More

Sen. Markey Reintroduces Resolution Declaring September Brain Aneurysm Month   Washington (May 12, 2015) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today introduced Senate Resolution 176, designating the month of September 2015 the “National Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month”. The aim of the resolution is to raise awareness about the... Read More

(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement on General Motors’ (GM) compensation fund’s approval of the 100th death claim related to faulty ignition switches:   “With today’s grim milestone, we now know that at least 100... Read More

Meeting highlighted need for federal, state and local action to prevent opioid overdoses Washington (May 12, 2015) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today met with Gloucester Police Chief Leonard Campanello and Massachusetts State Rep. Donald Wong to discuss solutions to the prescription drug and heroin epidemic plaguing Gloucester, Cape... Read More

National RES would pump nearly $300 billion into economy, create tens of thousands of jobs, help combat climate change   WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii)... Read More

(U.S. Senate) - Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Edward Markey (D-Mass.) are introducing legislation to protect grieving parents from losing their jobs in the event of their child's death.The Parental Bereavement Act would amend... Read More

Hundreds of student veterans using post-9/11 GI Bill benefits were enrolled at one of 28 for-profit colleges that is now closed  (Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Charles... Read More

In Letter, Sens. Markey, Franken and Colleagues Urge FCC to Abandon Misguided Proposal That Would Benefit Giant Cable Corporations, Leave Minnesota Communities and Consumers Behind   Washington (May 12, 2015) —Today, Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Al Franken (D-Minn.) and others pressed for action to help ensure that consumers... Read More

Washington (May 11, 2015) – The Massachusetts Congressional delegation today sent a letter to President Obama supporting the formal appeal request from Governor Charlie Baker to extend the FEMA designated 48-hour period of snow assistance to a 72-hour period for eligible applications. In the letter, the Massachusetts lawmakers point to the... Read More

Trio of bills would reduce wasteful natural gas flaring, incentivize oil and gas co’s to produce on the drilling leases they already own, and study the impacts on ratepayers of energy auctions   Washington (May 11, 2015) – As the Senate begins the process of developing an energy bill, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today... Read More

Washington (May 11, 2015) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement after the Interior Department gave conditional approval to Shell to drill in the Arctic Ocean, including the Chukchi sea.   “At a time when the oil industry is advocating for lifting the... Read More

Recent reports and complaints identify discrimination by foreign air carriers against U.S. passengers based on national origin or sexual orientation (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory A. Booker (D-N.J.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Charles E. Schumer... Read More

Sixteen States have Already Begun to Implement “Ban the Box” Hiring Practices Large Companies, Including Walmart; Target; Bed, Bath & Beyond; Koch Industries; and Home Depot have Stopped Asking about Prior Convictions at the Beginning of the Job Application Process WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Cory... Read More

In Letter to USTR, Senators Warn That Waiting to Implement Standards Until After TPP Goes Into Effect Could Diminish Enforcement of Labor Protections in TPP Counties   WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Bob Casey (D-PA), Al Franken (D-MN), Ed Markey... Read More

Democratic lawmakers continue push for passage of International Human Rights Defense Act to make Special Envoy position permanent   Washington (May 8, 2015) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today led a letter of welcome with his Senate colleagues to new Special Envoy for the Rights of LGBT Persons Randy W. Berry. Mr. Berry was... Read More

Despite laws requiring coverage for patients seeking mental health and substance use treatments, many gaps remain   (Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Al Franken (D-Minn.) joined with fourteen of their colleagues to urge the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) have reintroduced the Community Access Preservation (CAP) Act, legislation to ensure public access to local television programming. “The 80-plus public, educational, and governmental access channels in the state of Wisconsin deliver invaluable... Read More

Senator’s investigation of wireless surveillance by law enforcement revealed more than one million requests in 2012 Washington (May 7, 2015) – Senator Edward J. Markey today hailed the ruling from the Second Circuit Court of Appeals that found the National Security Agency’s bulk collection of America’s phone records... Read More

Markey legislation supported by labor, consumer, environmental, pipeline safety groups, first responders, industry Washington (May 6, 2015) – After several years in which communities across the country have suffered dangerous, sometimes deadly natural gas explosions as a result of old, leaking natural gas pipelines, Senator Edward J. Markey... Read More

Massachusetts stands to lose more than 50K jobs, billions in funding for education, infrastructure, health care   Washington (May 5, 2015) – After voting against the 2016 Republican budget today, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) pointed to the disastrous impact the partisan budget would have on the families and industries of... Read More