Angus King

Bangor, Maine, has been named one of four finalists for a new U.S. Air Force air refueling squadron, narrowed down from 14 Air National Guard bases under consideration. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King learned of the decision Tuesday from Air Force officials, including Michael Saunders, principal deputy assistant secretary for energy, installations and environment, and Maj. Gen. Bryony Terrell, deputy director of the Air National Guard.

If chosen, Bangor's 101st Air Refueling Wing would receive new KC-46A tankers to replace its aging KC-135 Stratotankers, with aircraft arriving as early as 2030. Collins and King cited the wing's strategic location and track record, and pointed to millions in federal funding already secured for Maine's air guard infrastructure, including a $50 million fuel cell hangar built to accommodate the KC-46A. A final decision is expected early next year.

A new Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General report confirms that VA terminated 435 contracts worth roughly $1.1 billion "for convenience" out of 2,210 contracts reviewed, following pressure from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the initiative once led by Elon Musk. The remaining 1,775 contract actions examined were reinstated or never terminated. The review was requested in June 2025 by Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Angus King, who raised concerns about the use of AI in cancellation decisions, the sidelining of career VA experts, and how savings were redirected. The OIG also flagged errors in data VA submitted to Congress in 2025, later corrected in an updated April 2026 list.

VA officials defended the cuts as eliminating "wasteful and duplicative" spending with no impact on veterans' care, while Blumenthal maintains VA is serving more veterans than ever. VA holds the federal government's second-largest acquisition budget, at $78.3 billion in fiscal 2025.

Sen. Susan Collins announced that all Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Maine have been issued body cameras, arriving more than two weeks ahead of schedule after she pressed acting ICE director David Venturella to prioritize the state. Venturella had pledged to equip all agents nationwide by the end of August, though he has said footage would only be released publicly if deemed in the agency's "best interests." The move follows last month's fatal shooting of a 26-year-old Colombian immigrant in Biddeford, in which the involved agents were not wearing body cameras.

Separately, Sen. Angus King is demanding answers from ICE over reports the agency plans to spend up to $20 million on gloves capable of delivering electric shocks, a device also used by some schools, police departments, prisons, and hospitals. King said the purchase suggests a focus on "intimidation of anyone critical" of ICE conduct and called for greater transparency on the agency's hiring, training, and tactics.