The U.S. Navy says it has presented U.S. Sen. Angus King of Maine with its highest civilian honor.
The Navy presented King with the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award on Thursday in Washington, D.C. The award was established in 1951 and is the highest honor the Navy can bestow on civilians who don't work for the Department of the Navy.
The award is designed to honor civilians for service to the Navy, the Marine Corps and the Department of the Navy. Rear Adm. Craig Faller gave King the award.
King is an independent who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee and whose state includes Navy shipbuilder Bath Iron Works and submarine repair facility Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
Maine's other senator, Republican Susan Collins, received the honor in 2013.
