{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Democrat\", state = \"ME\" and year = 2019 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3206", "Pingree Announces $125k Drug-Free Communities Grant to Westbrook Schools", "2019-12-27", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Pingree Announces $125k Drug-Free Communities Grant to Westbrook Schools \r\n    \r\n     \r\n\r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Washington,\r\n      December 27, 2019\r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n        \r\n           \r\n      \r\n          \r\n      \r\n           \r\n        \r\n      \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced the Westbrook School Department is the recipient of a$125,000Drug-Free Communities grant from the Office of National Drug Control Policyin cooperation with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).\r\nThis federal funding will help Westbrook community partners to educate kids and parents about substance use preventionkeeping our kids healthier and safer for their future, said Pingree.With the rise of substance use disorder in Maine, it's critical that we support communities which are proactively working topreventing substance misuse through support.\r\nThe Drug-Free Communities (DFC) program supports communities as they mobilize individuals and local organizations to prevent youth substance abuse. The Westbrook School Department received one of 42 new grants to coalitions throughout the country. DFC has awarded nearly $90 million in grants to community organizations throughout the country.\r\nDetails of the grant is as follows:\r\n \r\n    Coalition Name:Westbrook Partners for Prevention\r\n    Grant Recipient Organization:Westbrook School Department\r\n    \r\n        Project Description:\r\n        \r\n            The Westbrook School Department was awarded a FY 2019 Drug-Free Communities Support Program grant in the amount of $125,000 by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, in cooperation with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The coalition serves Westbrook, Maine, a community of 18,400. The goal of the coalition is to establish and strengthen community collaboration in support of local efforts to prevent youth substance misuse. The coalition will achieve its goal by implementing these strategies: \r\n            \r\n                Address the use of substances by targeting root causes including social and retail access, community norms, laws and enforcement and parental and peer attitudes toward misuse.\r\n                \r\n            \r\n        \r\n    \r\n \r\n  \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3204", "Deering Student Wins 2019 Congressional App Challenge for Maines First District", "2019-12-23", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Deering Student Wins 2019 Congressional App Challenge for Maine's First District \r\n    \r\n     \r\n\r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Washington,\r\n      December 23, 2019\r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announced today that Deering High School junior Aidan Blum Levine has won the 2019 Congressional App Challenge for Maine's 1st District. His submission Windition allows users of the app to post up-to-date weather conditions for winter sports.\r\nYear after year, the apps Maine students develop are technically impressive, innovative, and solve problems that Americans face in their everyday lives,said Pingree.Aidan Blum Levine's submission show's he really understands Mainers needsan app that helps them track the areas best for winter exploration. Congratulations to him and my thanks to everyone who participated.\r\nIn Levine'ssubmission, he cited his own interest in winter sports as part of the inspiration for creating his app. The app will allow users to post conditions for sports like skiing and sledding so others can have real-time conditions of the locations without having to go all the way there and see it themselves. The app has many Maine locations already built in, but new locations can be easily suggested by users after they create an account. Levine's app also has a map to find new locations for winter sports.\r\nTheCongressional App Challengeis a nationwide competition. Members of Congress must choose to participate for students in their District to be eligible. Winning apps from each District will be displayed and recognized at an event in Washington, D.C. this spring. The Internet Education Foundation coordinates the competition.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-votes-against-tax-bill-wealthy", "Golden Votes Against Tax Bill for the Wealthy", "2019-12-20", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  To protect the interests of working Mainers in the Second District, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) voted yesterday against repealing a cap on the federal tax deduction for state and local taxes paid. The bill's elimination of the cap on the state and local taxes (SALT) deduction would have disproportionately wealthy states like California and New York, costing the government billions in funding that could instead benefit working Mainers.\nJust two years after Congress gave away trillions of dollars to corporations and the wealthy, they want to give away billions more to the rich and well-connected. Removing the SALT deduction cap is just another example of Washington making policies that benefit the powerful in New York and California, but not doing anything for working folks in Maine. This is why people think Congress doesn't work for them and why I voted against it, said Golden. The billions of dollars used to uncap the SALT deduction would be better spent supporting programs that improve care for Maine veterans or by extending tax relief to make health care more affordable and promote renewable Maine energy sources like biomass.\nGolden believes the $184.5 billion in tax money lost by uncapping these deductions could be better spent on tax priorities that don't include subsidizing the rich. Examples include:\n \nReinstating the deduction for union dues;\n\tPermanently extending the Health Coverage Tax Credit to help workers negatively affected by trade and pension difficulties afford their health insurance, and;\n\tEnacting the BTU Act to incentivize the use of biomass for affordable, energy-efficient heating in homes and businesses and help grow Maine's forest products industry.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3203", "Pingree Statement on USMCA", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today released the following statement regarding the House of Representatives vote on the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA):\r\nThe last NAFTA upended Maine's economy, causing our mills to shutter and thousands of good jobs to be outsourced.Though Democrats improved the deal originally handed to us by the Trump administration, this agreement ultimately does not do enoughto keep Maine jobs from being sent abroad or to bring back morethan 24,000 jobs Mainers lost because of NAFTA.\r\nUSMCA also ignores the reality of the climate crisis and does not hold global polluters to account. It's foolishly shortsighted to not even mention the words climate change' in this major trade agreement. This omission will have major implications for Maine, which breathes the prevailing winds from the west and already has the highest rates of asthma in the nation. Our state is also grappling with the fastest warming waters in the world and rising sea levels. Without environmental protection in the agreement, the climate crisis will only accelerate and irreversibly damage Maine.\r\nIt's been two decades since the original NAFTA, and the new agreement will likely be in place for years. We were given an incredible opportunity to negotiate the significant issues in the original NAFTA and prioritize both people and the planet. Unfortunately, USCMA does neither. For the future of our workforce and environment, I will vote no.\r\nPingree was joined in opposing USMCA by several Maine stakeholders:\r\nNAFTA was a bad deal for Maine workers. While this new deal contains some improvements, it does nothing to prevent future outsourcing of manufacturing jobs and won't effectively enforce labor standards, which is why we ultimately can't support it.Mark Vigliotta, Maine Machinists Union Council President\r\nThe new NAFTA fails to include even baseline environmental standards or to address climate change. It outsources jobs and pollution to Mexico and ignores the threat that climate change poses to the United States and to the world, said Maureen Drouin, executive director of Maine Conservation Voters. U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree's vote shows once again her commitment to protecting U.S. workers, clean air and clean water, and is an example of strong political leadership on climate change. We can no longer tolerate trade agreements that let polluters off the hook or fail to address the climate crisis.Maureen Drouin, Maine Conservation Voters", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-young-bill-improve-safety-training-maine-fishermen-passes-house", "Golden, Young Bill to Improve Safety Training for Maine Fishermen Passes House", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "VIDEO: Golden cites story of Maine fisherman injured on the job, calls for passage of FISH SAFE Act\nWASHINGTON To better train fishermen to protect themselves from injuries and fatalities on the job, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) and Congressman Don Young (AK-At Large) passed theFunding Introduction for Safety, Health, and Security Avoids Fishing Emergencies(FISH SAFE)Actthrough the House yesterday. The bipartisan legislation restores important federal funding that supports the work of local organizations to offer safety training to commercial fishermen and perform safety research.\nWhether they work in a mill, a lobster boat, or somewhere in between, I'm focused on keeping Maine workers safe on the job so they can continue to provide for their families,said Congressman Golden.Fishing is one of the most dangerous jobs in our country, but Maine is lucky to have local organizations training our fishermen and lobstermen to minimize risks and protect themselves. The FISH SAFE Act restores funding to support this kind of training, as well as research new fishing safety practices. I'm proud to partner with Republican Don Young of Alaska to pass this commonsense bill through the House and I'll continue to work with our senators to make sure it advances in the Senate.\nIn 2018, the federal share of fishing safety training and research grants was reduced to 50 percent from 75 percent, leaving local organizations with higher costs to run these important safety programs. Golden and Young's bipartisan bill would raise the federal share for the grants back up to 75 percent. The FISH SAFE Act would also reauthorize the safety training and research programs for $6,000,000 a year for 2019-2021.\nOrganizations in Maine benefitting from the safety training and research grants include: IAMAW Maine Lobstering Union Local 207, Maine Coast Fisheries Association, Maine Lobstermen's Association, Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries, and Fishing Partnership Support Services.\nA commercial fisherman is 23 times more likely to die on the job than other workers. From 2000 to 2016, an estimated 204 fishermen have died, and that number has risen to at least 224 in the past three years.\nYou can read Congressman Golden's previous release about the FISH SAFE Act's introductionhere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3202", "Pingree Statement on House Vote on Articles of Impeachment Against President Donald J. Trump", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement in advance of the US House of Representatives vote to approve two articles ofimpeachmentagainst the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump:\r\nAmong the vast powers assigned to the Congress by our Founders, the impeachment of a chief executive is without question our gravest responsibility with the exception of a declaration of war. Sincethe beginning of the impeachment inquiry, I have been mindful of this responsibility every day.\r\nAlthough the President and his staff have obstructed the work of Congress at every opportunity, the process carried out by the House has been scrupulously thorough and fair. That process has uncovered a mountain of evidence that President Trump has committed serious crimes. The evidence revealed in public hearings, provided by witness after witness issuing sworn testimony under oath, was consistent, powerful, and incontrovertible. The fact is that President Trump directly extorted a foreign government and an ally of the United States by withholding vital defense assistance in order to target a political rival. The efforts of the White House and its allies to distort this fact have not succeeded.\r\nThe Constitution demands that a President be removed for 'high crimes and misdemeanors.' It does not define such crimes and leaves the matter up to the Members of Congress. I believe President Trump's actions meet that threshold. For that reason, I will vote today to impeach Donald Trump on both articles of impeachment before us. I will vote to impeach Donald Trump for abusing his power and I will vote to impeach him for obstructing our investigation into that abuse. I will cast these votes with a heavy heart but without hesitation. Our failure to hold President Trump to account will not only embolden him to continue to work with foreign governments to interfere with our political process and the next election, it will provide an invitation for his successors to do the same. For the health of our presidency, to uphold our rule of law, and to preserve American democracy, I will vote to impeach this President.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3199", "Maine Delegation Urges USDA to Heed Maine DACFs Comments on Interim Final Hemp Rule", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) and Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01) and Jared Golden (D-ME-02) wrote to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), urging the agency to heed the formal comments and concerns of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry (DACF) on the interim final rule on domestic hemp production. A signed copy of the letter can be foundhere.\r\nAs you know, theAgriculture Improvement Act of 2018created a legal pathway for domestic hemp production. We appreciate that [USDA] published an interim final rule on October 31, 2019 to implement those farm bill provisions, providing much needed certainty for hemp growers and businesses in Maine and across the country.said the Maine delegation in the letter.As [USDA] works on drafting a final rule, we respectfully request your consideration of DACF's comments and concerns.\r\nHemp, which is grown in every Maine county,contains less than .3% THC and can be used for a variety of products, including rope, textile, and paper. Thestate's hempindustry has seen massive growth over the past year;more than2,000 acres were planted in 2019, up from 550 acres in 2018. Much of that acreage is cultivated for CBD use.\r\nThe interim final rule was released by USDA on October 31, 2019. Public comment is open on the hemp rule untilDecember 31, 2019.\r\nIn addition to supporting DACF's comments on USDA's interim rule establishing a Domestic Hemp Production Program, the delegation has also worked to address the financing obstacles that hemp-producing businesses have encountered.Despite the 2018 Farm Bill'slegalization ofhemp, the lack of clarity in federal banking regulations has created major barriers for hemp businesses. Pingree and Golden firstwrote to USDAon April 30, 2019 to ask for expedited hemp regulations and clarity for Maine farmers.\r\nThe Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act (HR 1595), passed the House with support from Pingree and Golden in September. The bill wouldallowfinancial institutionsto servecannabis-related businessesin states where it has been legalized.Senator King is acosponsor of the Senate version of the SAFE Banking Act (S 1200), andin Novemberwrote a letter to the Senate Banking Committee expressing his supportfor the House-passed bill.\r\nPingree and Golden againwrote to USDAon October 23, 2019, urging expedited rules for hemp in light of the news that Sheepscot Farman organic u-pick strawberry farm that also grows hemphad lost accounts at both their bank and insurance company due to uncertainty in federal regulations and a lack of guidance by USDA. Pingree held a roundtable with farmers on USDA's interim final hemp rule at Sheepscot General yesterday.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3200", "Pingree Votes to Pass FY2020 Funding Bills", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, today voted to pass two legislative packages that comprise alltwelveFY2020 funding bills. H.R. 1865 andH.R. 1158, together will fund the federal governmentthrough September 30, 2020.\r\nThe bills make historic investments inmany ofPingree's priorities,including local and organic agriculture, election security, early childhood education, medical research including gun violence prevention, and shipbuilding at Bath Iron Works. The bills also prevent many disastrous cuts proposed in the Trump administration's FY 2020 budget, including slashing environmental protection and safety net programs.\r\nPingree released the following statement after the vote:\r\nToday's vote reflects a historic investment in the lives of Mainers. Withthese spending bills, Congress is investing in thehealth, safety, and livelihoodsof the American people, including$425 million for election securitygrants, $25 million for gun violence prevention research, record-high funding for Head Start, and major support for economic development and infrastructure programs. I hope to see swift action from the Senate and President. Mainers are relying on us to provide certainty and protect our country from another senseless government shutdown.\r\nThis isn't a perfect bill by any meansthough we blocked theWhite House and Republican-controlled Senatefrom enactingdevastating cuts to programs we care deeply about,I'm disappointed to see some importantprovisionsleft out of the final bill, including those prohibiting offshore drilling in the Gulf of Maine, addressing the Trump administration's gutting of Title X and international family planning assistance, and the disastrous and cruel border policies of the Trump administration. Still, I believe this billdelivers critical investments toMainers, and so I voted in favor.\r\nHighlights of H.R. 1865 include:\r\n \r\n    $495.1 million for Land and Water Conservation Fund, a $56 million increase from FY19\r\n    $2.57 billion for National Park Service operations, a $74 million increase from FY19\r\n    $162.25 millioneach for theNational Endowment for the ArtsandNational Endowment for the Humanities, up $7.25 million since FY19, the largest increases since FY10\r\n    $28 million for Combined Sewer Overflow Grantsto help municipalities adapt to rising sea levels and climate change\r\n    $20 billion to EPAfor state-levelPFASclean ups, and a requirement for EPA to report to Congress within 60 days on its work on PFAS\r\n    $20.4 million for the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP), a new umbrella program championed by Pingree in the 2018 Farm Bill tostreamlineand support local and regional food system programs\r\n    $20 million for the National Organic Programto enforce organic standardsand fight against import fraud, an $8 million increase over FY19 funding levels\r\n \r\n \r\n    $400,000 to implement the Food Loss and Waste Liaison at USDA, a new position championed by Pingree in the 2018 Farm Bill\r\n    $30 millionfor Arts in Education grants\r\n    $25 million for gun violence research, split between National Institute of Health and Centers for Disease Control\r\n    $730 million for Education and Cultural Exchange programsat the Department of State\r\n \r\nHighlights of H.R. 1158 include:\r\n \r\n    Full funding for DDG-51, DDG-1000 and FFG(X), all ships important to Bath Iron Works\r\n    3.1% COLA raise for federal employees, including those atPortsmouth Naval Shipyard\r\n    Language allowing DHS to issue moreH-2B visas\r\n    $262 million for Community Development Financial Institutions(CDFI)\r\n    $169.5 million in NOAA Climate Research, up from $159 million in FY19, including set-aside funding to study marine debris, algal blooms, and ocean acidification\r\n \r\nPingree has served on the House Appropriations Committee since 2013. She currently sits on the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Subcommittee on Interior and the Environment, and Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3201", "Pingree Votes for FY2020 Funding Bills, Including Support for Local and Organic Agriculture, Food Waste Prevention", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today voted forthe passage of the FY2020 appropriations bills, including agricultural funding which she pushed for with her seat on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture. The FY2020 agreement included funding for programs Pingree helped to create in the 2018 Farm Bill.\r\nFarmers feed America, and they deserve support from Congress during these difficult economic times. With this bill's passage, we will help make our food system better for farmers, consumers, and our environment,said Pingree.This bill will invest inruralcommunities acrossMaine andthe country, helping producers fight against climate change, meet consumer demand for organic food, sell products locally in their communities, and access the research and data they need to thrive. As an organic farmer with many small growers selling into local and organic markets in my district, I've seen firsthand how important investments like these can be to farmers' success.\r\nFunding for agriculture was included in the domestic priorities and international assistance bill, one of two appropriations bills passed by the House today. Highlights inH.R. 1158include:\r\n \r\n    $20.4 million for the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP), a new umbrella program championed by Pingree in the 2018 Farm Bill to streamline existing local and regional food system programs\r\n    $20 million for the National Organic Programto enforce organic standards and fight against import fraud, an $8 million increase over FY19 funding levels\r\n    $6million for the Organic Transition Program, up from $5 million in FY19\r\n    $400,000 to implement the Food Loss and Waste Liaison at USDA, a new position championed by Pingree in the 2018 Farm Bill\r\n    $1 million for USDA composting pilot, new money to implement provisions Pingree authored in the 2018 Farm Bill\r\n    Ensures the term climate change is preserved in USDA's publications\r\n \r\nThe bill requires USDA to issue a final origin of livestock rule 180 days after the bill's passage, based on the Obama-era proposed rule. Pingree hasrepeatedly pushedUSDA for a final origin of livestock rule andquestionedUSDA Marketing and Regulatory Programs Undersecretary Greg Ibach on the delay in the origin of livestock rulemaking in July. Secretary Perdue has claimed that there has been division in industry on the origin of livestock rulemaking; Pingree has pushed the USDA to provide information about any opposition to the rulemaking because the organic community has expressed widespread support for the final ruleand serious concerns of financial losses without the rule in place.\r\nH.R. 1158 does not include funding for NIFA/ERS relocation, which was included in the Senate agriculture appropriations bill draft. The bill also prohibits USDA from reorganizing agencies without Congress' approval. Pingree has filed theAgriculture Research Integrity Act of 2019, legislation to ensure USDA research agencies stay in the Capital region.\r\nPingree is an advocate for reforming federal policy to better support the diverse range of American agriculture, including sustainable, organic, and locally focused farming.She has been a member of the House Appropriations Committee since 2013 and sits on the Subcommittee on Agriculture. She retook her seat on the House Agriculture Committee at the start of the 116thCongress.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-nominates-12-mainers-service-academies", "Golden Nominates 12 Mainers for Service Academies", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) has announced his office's nominees to the United States Service Academiesthe U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. To be considered for an appointment to a service academy, applicants must be nominated by an authorized nominating source, which includes Members of Congress.\nThis group represents some of Maine's most talented, skilled and accomplished students. They have all demonstrated great leadership, high academic standards, and most importantly, a desire to serve, said Golden. These nominees should be proud of all they've accomplished. I would be honored to have these talented candidates represent the Second District, and it's my privilege to nominate them.\nNominees were interviewed by a panel of five about their academic record, test scores, leadership ability, involvement in extracurricular activities and commitment to serving their country.\nThe full list of nominations is below.  \n\t\nUnited States Naval Academy  Annapolis\nKristina Cornelio, Auburn, The Taft School\nRowan Andrews, Brewer, Bangor High School\nAlyssa Day, Kenduskeag, Central High School\nJames Belleau II, Lewiston, Kent Hills School\nLogan Tribou, Hampden, Hampden Academy\nJoshua Watson, Glenburn, Bangor High School  \n\t\nUnited States Military Academy  West Point\nHelen Shearer, Hampden, Home-Schooled\nAlexander Look, Jonesboro, Machias Memorial High School  \n\t\nUnited States Air Force Academy  Colorado Springs\nHalle Pelletier, Greenville, Greenville High School\nBailey Mallory, Winterport, Hampden Academy\nGeorge Grindle, Orono, Orono High School\nLogan Tribou, Hampden, Hampden Academy", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3196", "Representatives Massie & Pingree Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Allow Interstate Traffic of Raw Milk", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Representatives Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Chellie Pingree (D-ME) introduced the Interstate Milk Freedom Act (H.R. 5410) today. This bill prohibits federal interference with the interstate traffic of unpasteurized milk and milk products that are packaged for direct human consumption. It's legal to drink raw milk in 50 states. It is legal to sell raw milk in 28 states. Congress has never passed a ban on raw milk. Yet, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did so in capitulation toa lawsuit.\r\nFederal agencies, such as the FDA, that are part of the executive branch do not and should not have the power to shut down trade between peaceful farmers and willing consumers. It is Congress's job to legislate, said Rep. Massie. Our Interstate Milk Freedom Act would make it easier for families to buy milk of their choice by reversing the criminalization of specific dairy farmers.\r\nSo many people across the country want to make sure their food is fresh and localincluding fruits, vegetables, and even their milk, said Rep. Pingree. Raw milk is currently the only food banned for interstate commercean onerous regulation that hurts small farmers for selling milk straight from their cows to the consumer.\r\nAmerican families can best decide what milk will best serve their sons and daughters, said Rep. Daniel Webster (R-FL). The FDA has no Congressional directive or safety regulation that justifies interfering in a decision between a consumer and dairy farmer.This is an issue best left up to states and consumers.\r\nRaw milk is a niche product highly valued by educated consumers who understand any risks associated with its consumption. This industry is vital economically for many small family farms in my district, who survive and thrive by selling directly to the consumer. Farmers throughout Pennsylvania's 11th District and the nation work tirelessly to ensure safe, nutritious dairy products are available to everyone, Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) said. Small family farms have been consuming and distributing raw milk safely for hundreds of years. This bill rightly gets the federal government out of the way and decriminalizes farmers and producers who choose to sell or take unpasteurized milk and other dairy products to willing customers throughout the nation.\r\nThis legislation was introduced as an amendment to the 2018 Farm Bill. It was also introduced as a standalone bill in 2015 and 2014.\r\nThe Interstate Milk Freedom Act simply says that if two states have legalized the sale of unpasteurized milk, then no federal department, agency, or court may take any action to prohibit or restrict the interstate traffic of milk between those two states. This bill would prohibit the federal government from interfering with the interstate traffic of raw milk products between states where distribution or sale of such products is already legal.\r\nOriginal cosponsors of H.R. 5410 include Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Lloyd Smucker (R-PA), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Ted Budd (R-NC), Daniel Webster (R-FL), Alex Mooney (R-WV), Glenn Grothman (R-WI), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Mark Meadows (R-NC), Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Justin Amash (I-MI), Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Chip Roy (R-TX), and Matt Gaetz (R-FL)\r\nMassie owns 50 head of cattle on his off-the-grid farm in northeast Kentucky. Pingree raises grass-fed beef and chickens on her island farm in North Haven, Maine.\r\n  \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-backed-bill-lower-prescription-drug-costs-seniors-passes-house", "Golden-Backed Bill to Lower Prescription Drug Costs for Seniors Passes House", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  The House passed legislation today cosponsored by Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) to address rising prescription drug costs. H.R. 3, theLower Drug Costs Now Act, would limit out-of-pocket prescription drug costs paid by seniors, fund the expansion of Medicare coverage to include dental, vision, and hearing, and lower prescription drug prices for thousands of Mainers.\nPharmaceutical corporations have taken home record profits while Mainers, especially seniors, have struggled to pay higher and higher prices for their medications,said Golden.TheLower Drug Costs Now Acttakes long-overdue action to cap out-of-pocket costs for seniors, negotiate down the prices of many expensive medications, and get skyrocketing prescription costs under control. The Senate is working on their own version of this legislation, which means there is an opportunity to come together and make real, bipartisan progress on this issue for the American people.\nIn October, Golden joined AARP and hundreds of its members for a town hall on H.R. 3 and other efforts to lower prescription drug prices. He also pennedan op-eddefending the legislation and calling out spending against the bill by dark money groups tied to Big Pharma.\nAccording to Ways & Means Committee analysis, H.R. 3 could lower medication costs for Mainers with:\n \nArthritis by $30,000 a year;\n\tDiabetes by $15,000 a year;\n\tAsthma by $1,100 a year;\n\tBreast cancer by $45,000 a year;\n\tLeukemia by $66,300 a year;\n\tProstate cancer by $72,100 a year.\n \nFind aMaine-specific fact sheet about H.R. 3 here.\nIn addition to lowering prescription drug costs, H.R. 3 uses budgetary savings from those provisions to fund the expansion of Medicare to cover dental, vision, and hearing benefits, expand the healthcare workforce, invest in biomedical research and drug development, combat the opioid epidemic, and increase funding for Community Health Centers. The legislation also includes provisions from two bills that Golden has cosponsored: theRemoving Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2019and theLymphedema Treatment Act of 2019.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3191", "On 4th Anniversary of Paris Accord Signing, Pingree Decries 220 days of Senate Inaction on H.R. 9", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement on the fourth anniversary of President Obama signing the international Paris Agreement on Climate Change on December 12, 2015:\r\nMore than 220 days ago, the House approved H.R. 9 to recommit the United States to the Paris Climate Agreement and require the Trump administration to develop a serious plan for how our country will address climate change. It's outrageous that this legislation is one of 400 bills stalled in the U.S. Senate. Congress must look beyond petty politics and face the reality of the climate emergency we're in.\r\nMaine is already grappling with the widespread effects of climate change. Sea levels are rising. Weather patterns are unpredictable. Our ocean is acidifying. The Gulf of Maine is warming 99% faster than anywhere else on the planet. The health and well-being of our state is on the line.\r\nFour years after the U.S. joined the most visionary global climate changeagreementto date, President Trump and Senator McConnell's cowardice is jeopardizing our children's futures. The Senate must take up H.R. 9 immediately and move to protect our planet.\r\nTheParis Agreement, signed by President Obama, set to strengthen the global response to climate change by keeping anincrease in global temperatures below 1.5Cabove pre-industrial levels. Thisagreement requires all signatories to report their emissions levels regularly so the UN can assess the collective progress to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.\r\nPresident Trump formally began the process of withdrawing from the agreement in November 2019, despite the fact that more than 1,000 businesses and nearly 200 nations are still in support of the commitment. These businesses included Adobe, BP, General Mills, Apple, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Google, Intel, Walmart, Facebook, Unilever, National Grid, Morgan Stanley, and Microsoft. Without bold, transformative action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, global temperatures willcontinue torise, exposing an estimated 350 million people to drought andpushing120 millionpeople into extreme poverty by 2030.  \r\n\r\nPingree has previously condemned the Trump administration's decision to withdraw from the agreement. She was an original cosponsor of H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act, which would prohibit any federal funds from being used to take any action to advance the withdrawal of the U.S. from the landmark Paris Agreement and calls on the President to develop and make public a plan for how the United States will meet our commitment toreduce emissions.Pingreetook to the floorof the House of Representatives on May 1, 2019 to deliver a speech in favor of its passage. The bill arrived in the Senate on May 6, 2019, where it has been ignored by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.Pingreesigned onto a resolutioncondemning Trump's formal departure from the Paris Agreement.\r\nMaine is experiencing major changes as a result of the climate crisis. The state has warmed about 3F since 1900. Sea levels are rising and severe storms are increasing coastal flooding. Warming ocean waters haveshifted lobster populations northward. The number of Lyme disease cases in Maine has increased twentyfold inless than 20 years.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3193", "With Vote for H.R. 3, Rep. Pingree Reaffirms Decades-Long Commitment to Reducing Rx Drug Costs", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today voted forH.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act. The bill allowsMedicareto negotiate prescription drug prices,limitsout-of-pocket spendingon prescription drugsfor seniors, and reinvests savingsby establishing significantdental, vision, and hearingbenefitswithin Medicare.\r\nI don't know a single person in Maine who hasn't felt the burden ofoutrageouslyhigh prescription drug prices. No one should have to skip a dosage of life-saving medication while pharmaceutical companiesreapenormous profits,said Pingree.Big Pharma has been left unchecked for far too long, and it's well past time we deliver urgent relief to patients. This bill is a fundamental step in that direction and I'm proud to support it  especially since it invests hundreds of billions in savings into making Medicare more comprehensive and affordable.Since my earliest days in the Maine State House and into this Congress, I've been fighting to make prescription drugs more affordable, and I'm going to keep fighting until every last Mainer can afford the medications they need.\r\nSince 1960, the United States has experienced the most rapid and significant drug cost increases in the world. Adjusting for inflation, annual American spending on prescription drugs per personhas surgedfrom $90 in 1960 to $1,025 in 2017. Prices for lifesaving drugs that have already been on the market for decades have continued to skyrocket. Insulin is just one shocking example, withprices increasing by 700%over the last 20 years. Prescription drug companies are charging Americans prices that are three, four, or even ten times higher than what they charge for the same drugs in other countries.\r\nH.R. 3 will give Medicare the power to negotiate directly with drug companies; make the negotiated lower prices available to all Americans, on private insurance or Medicare; stop drug companies from charging Americans more than other countries and limit the maximum price for negotiated drugs; create a $2,000 out of pocket limit on prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries; and reinvest an estimated $456 billion in savings to expand Medicare to include dental, vision, and hearing.\r\nLowering the cost of prescription drugs is one of Pingree's signature issues.AsMaine Senate Majority Leader in 2000, Pingree sponsored one of the nation's first prescription drug pricing bills, MaineRX. After a legal fight that led all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, the bill became law, and has since been a model for states around the country working to lower prescription drug prices. Pingree has also proposed theCURE High Drug Prices Actand theSafe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Actin the 116thCongress, which would address price gouging and prescription drug importation from Canada, respectively.\r\nA recent report from AARP Maine found thatone in four Mainers will stop taking prescribed medicine because they cannot afford it.In Maine's First Congressional District (ME-01), which Pingree represents, there are 117,265 people enrolled in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan and 511,728 enrolled in private health insurance, all of whom stand to benefit from the passage of H.R. 3. In ME-01, Medicare doesn't provide coverage for about 75% of beneficiaries' oral exams, 68% percent of eye exams, and 84% of hearing exams. About 95% of Maine's Medicare beneficiaries (154,000) stand to gain from adding a dental benefit; 92% (149,000) from adding vision; and 93% (150,000) from hearing.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3185", "Pingree Says Trumps Homelessness Council Pick is Unqualified, Will Undermine Mission to Provide Stable Housing", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), along with Representatives Clay,Moore, and Jayapal, wrote to President Donald Trump in opposition to his recent pick of Robert Marbut, a consultant who has urged cities to stop feeding homeless individuals, to lead the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH). Full text of the letter can be foundhere.\r\nMr. Marbut is, among our may concerns, unqualified, unprepared, and disdainful of the mission of the critically important federal agency which he has been appointed to lead,said Pingree in the letter.Marbut has encouraged cruel policies because he believes that municipalities efforts are making living on the streets too comfortable, which he derisively calls goodies'. He often says that he does not believe criminalization is the answer to homelessness, but he is a strong proponent of criminalizing much of the behavior and activity that makes being homeless and living on the street bearable.\r\nThe letter continued,Homelessness has always been a bipartisan issuewith leaders on both sides of the aisle working to end this solvable crisis. We are very concerned that the Trump administration would pick someone whose professional work is based on practices that are such cruel, punitive, ineffectual and expensive to run the only federal agency tasked with ending homelessness.\r\nFor 32 years, USICH has been the only federal agency to ensure a coordinated federal response to homelessness. Trump recently fired the Executive Director of USICH, Matthew Doherty, who was named by President Obama, and named Robert Marbut as his replacement. Marbut is to be confirmed by the council at their December 10 meeting.\r\nThe Trump administration has also been critical of the popular and effective Housing First model , which is backed up by over a decade of research, practice, and bipartisan agreement and has been found to effectively reduce homelessness, reduce costs within the criminal justice system, and ensure safety and stability for homeless adults and children alike. The Administration released areporton homelessness in September, where they suggested increased policing and efforts to arrest the homeless as potential tools to combat homelessness.\r\nMarbut previously served as a consultant advising cities on how to reduce homelessness, where he advocated for policies like putting the homeless in 24/7 programming to treat addiction, as well as outlawing street feeding programs run by churches and charitable organizations. He has repeatedly criticized Housing First policies.\r\nHomelessness is a serious problem in the United States, with over half a million people homeless on a single night in the United States. According to USICH as of January 2018, Maine had anestimated 2,516 people experiencing homelessnesson any given day.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3189", "Pingree Votes For BIW Funding, Paid Parental Leave, Climate Readiness Provisions in FY2020 NDAA Compromise", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) todayvoted forHouse passage oftheNational Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).The final NDAA conference report included provisions toauthorizeshipbuilding at Bath Iron Works (BIW), repeal the so-called widow's tax on military death benefits, and promote climate change resiliency at the nation's military installations. Text of the final FY2020 NDAA can be foundhere.\r\nThis NDAA is a true compromise. Although this spending package isn't perfect, I'm grateful that it fully funds shipbuilding work at BIW, will help prepare our military to address the climate crisis, repeal the onerous tax burden on military families, and establish paid parental leave for federal workers,said Pingree.I believe provisions tomore strongly regulate PFAS and require cleanup ofthese chemicalsshould have remained in the conference report, but I will keep working to supportthese efforts through the House Appropriations Committee.\r\nThe NDAA is the annual bill whichauthorizesexpenditures for the U.S. Department of Defense. The bill has several progressive achievements, including12 weeks of paid parental leave for two million federal employeesacross the countryand arepeal of the widow's tax,an unfair deduction of benefits which is placed on surviving spouses of service members when their spouse passes away during active duty.\r\nPingree expressed her disappointment that critical provisions in the House-passed bill were lost in negotiations with the Senate. In particular, Senate Republicans refused to accept the House provisionstoregulate PFAS in drinking water and require cleanup of the chemicals under the Superfund law.In addition, the conference report failed to include important checks against endless and unauthorized wars, such as the repeal of the 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force, a block against deportation for DACA and TPS servicemembers, and a repeal of the transgender military ban.\r\nThe FY2020 NDAA includes several priorities for Mainers, including fullauthorizationfor DDG-51, DDG-1000, and FFG(X); a shipbuilding workforce study; and a pilot program to develop skilled technicians in the shipbuilding industry. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Congresswoman Pingree worksannuallyto secure funding forsurface ship constructionin HouseDefense Appropriations bills.\r\nIn June, a Government Accountability Office (GAO)climate resilience reportfound more than 30 percent of military installations did not have a plan to deal with extreme weather or climate change. The Department of Defense's domestic real estate is worth $1.2 trillion, which, the GAO report states, poses a major economic imperative for climate readiness. Pingree offered anamendment to the House NDAAwhich would require the military to work with agencies like NOAA and NASA that track our changing climate, to incorporate flooding and sea level rise projections into their plans for building new military installations and fortifying current ones.\r\nPingree advocated for the House version of the FY2020 NDAA to include provisions to protect survivors of military sexual trauma (MST). She successfully secured anamendmentto the House NDAA to require the Department of Defense's Sexual Assault Responsecoordinators and advocates to advise servicemembers who report sexual trauma of their eligibility for VA services and benefits.\r\nPingree is a vocal advocate for the cleanup and regulation of PFAS chemicals, commonly known as forever chemicals. Pingree serves as the Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. On this committee, she helped tosecure funding for scientific and regulatory workon PFAS in the FY2020 Interior Appropriations bill. Pingree has co-sponsored thePFAS Action Act, to consider PFAS as hazardous substances. Sheled a letter to the NDAA conference committeein October to include strong PFAS provisions in the final bill.  \r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3190", "Pingree Votes for Bipartisan Immigration Bill to Support Farmers, Farm Labor", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today voted to passH.R. 5038, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, of which she is a cosponsor. The bipartisan bill isimmigration reformlegislationdesigned to support farmbusinesseswho rely on H-2A visas to fill positions in a tight labor marketand allow long-time agricultural workers in the U.S. to earn legal status.\r\nMaine farms, which are overwhelmingly small and mid-sized, are suffering from a labor shortage. There simply are not enough workers available to fill open positions and it takes a toll on our farms. The local food movement, which is helping attract much-needed residents to our state, is being driven by small farms who simply cannot survive without adequate workforce,said Pingree. This bill is a great example on how we can come together and achieve meaningful reform that both supports American industry and protects workers. I hope the Senate takes this bill up quickly and that President Trump signs this bill, which would bring much-needed relief to farmers and the laborers who help put food on our tables.\r\nFarmers and ranchers across the United States are in desperate need of a high-quality, reliable workforce and are struggling under the weight of a growing labor crisis.In Maine, the unemployment rate is historically low at 2.8%, underscoring the challenge for Maine businesses to find workers.Fewer American workers are willing to perform farm labor, and thus U.S. farmers are increasingly dependent on foreign workers to meet labor demands.\r\nThe Farm Workforce Modernization Act reforms the H-2A agricultural guestworker program and creates a merit-based visa program designed specifically for the agricultural economy, providing stability to one of the pillars of America's economic health. H.R. 5038 establishes a path to legal permanent residence for undocumented farmworkers through continued agricultural employment, provides more flexibility for employers while ensuring protections for workers, and mandates E-Verify for all agricultural employment. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act would help dairy farmers and other producers who need year-round labor by providing an additional 40,000 green cards for farmworkers and granting three-year visas for workers in certain sectors.\r\nThe bill has the support of more than 300 agricultural groups and labor organizations, including Farmworkers Justice as well as the United Farmworkers, and was cosponsored by 25 Republicans and 28 Democrats. Full text of the bill can be foundhere.\r\n  \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-delivers-maine-priorities-final-defense-funding-bill", "Golden Delivers Maine Priorities in Final Defense Funding Bill", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) delivered Maine priorities in the bipartisan, bicameral legislation that authorizes programs and funding at the U.S. Department of Defense for FY2020. Golden's success is the product of nearly a year of work to ensure that the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) supports America's national security and Maine's shipyard workers, National Guardsmen, manufacturers, and universities. Golden was named to the conference committee, composed of House and Senate leaders, responsible for reaching a compromise on the legislation.\nFor the last ten months, I've worked with Democrats and Republicans in the House and the Senate to make sure the defense authorization bill keeps our country safe, looks out for our servicemembers and their families, and supports Maine jobs,said Golden.I'm proud that we've worked together to strike a bipartisan compromise that delivers on these priorities. This legislation will ensure our military is prepared to provide for our national security in a dangerous world and takes care of our servicemembers and their families \nIncluded in the final version of the NDAA is FY2020 authorization to build three DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, perform maintenance and upgrades for DDG-1000 Zumwalt-class destroyers, and to begin building the FFG(X) Navy Frigate. Bath Iron Works (BIW) will build at least one of the DDG-51s, perform continued work on the DDG-1000s, and is one of four shipyards competing to build the FFG(X) frigate. The NDAA also includes aprovision authored by Goldenwhich directs the Navy to develop a plan to grow and train the workforce necessary to achieve their 30-year shipbuilding plan.\nThe Congressman secured a provision requiring the Defense Department to ensure labels detailing prescription drug information be included with medications dispensed at DOD medical facilities. This provision will protect servicemembers and their families by ensuring DOD medical personnel have access to hard-copies of essential prescription drug information, such as directions for use, health, and safety warnings. Twin Rivers Paper in Madawaska is a leading manufacturer of these prescription labels.\nSignificantly, Golden helped ensure that the NDAA included a repeal of the widow's tax, an issue that has been affecting the families of servicemembers for more than a decade. Repealing the tax would prevent the reduction of Survivor Benefit Plan payments by an average of $11,000 a year for family members of fallen servicemembers.The repeal provision originated in the House version of the bill andGolden was part of a group that pushed House and Senate conferees to maintain the provision in the final bill.\nGolden also worked to include provisions in the FY2020 NDAA to:\nProtect servicemembers and their families:\n The legislation, for the first time ever, makes all federal employees eligible for 12 weeks of paid parental leave in the case of birth, adoption, or fostering;\n\tThe legislation makes federal funds accessible to the Bangor Air National Guard Base and other National Guard facilities for the cleanup of dangerous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals. PFAS chemicals have been used on military installations for several decades as a firefighting material, but have recently been linked to increased risk of cancer, birth defects, developmental delays in children, and other serious health conditions. Making clean-up funding available to National Guard facilities like the one in Bangor is a priority for the Maine National Guard, as Golden heard from Maj. Gen. Douglas Farnham, the state's National Guard adjutant general;\n\tThe legislation includes a pay raise for members of the military, the largest pay raise for uniformed servicemembers in ten years;\n\tThe legislation establishes a tenant bill of rights that protects families in privatized military housing.\n Prepare our armed forces for the future:\n The legislation includes requirements for the Department of Defense to plan for potential threats posed by climate change;\n\tThe legislation includes measures to protect the American military from cyber threats;\n\tThe legislation authorizes important research performed at the University of Maine and other institutions, including research into cutting-edge composites, thermoplastics, lasers, and other materials.\n Congressman Golden is a member of the House Armed Services Committee. He sits on the Seapower and Projection Forces and Tactical Air and Land Subcommittees.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3186", "Pingree Announces $245,774 in USDA Rural Development Grants Coming to Maine", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Pingree Announces $245,774 in USDA Rural Development Grants Coming to Maine \r\n    \r\n     \r\n\r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Washington,\r\n      December 10, 2019\r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n        \r\n           \r\n      \r\n          \r\n      \r\n           \r\n        \r\n      \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Rural Development Program will grant five Maine organizations with a total of $245,774. The grants, from the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Loans and Grants, go towards transitioning rural small businesses to renewable energy sources, like solar panels on the roof of their establishment.\r\nAs a member of the House Agriculture and Appropriations Committees, I've advocated for federal funding to support small businesses that want to lower their costs by transitioning to renewable, more efficient energy sources,said Pingree.I applaud these local Maine businesses for applying for these federal grants, which are a win-win for their small businesses and our environment.\r\nCongresswoman Pingree sits on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, which oversees discretionary funding for USDA programs like REAP.\r\nFull details of the grant awards are as follows:\r\n \r\n    The Baker Company Inc., Sanford, ME ($18,146.00)\r\n    \r\n        This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install a 219.52 kW solar electric roof-mounted system. This project will replace 241,958 kWh (15%) and save $31,455 per year.\r\n    \r\n    Morningstar Marble and Granite Inc., Topsham, ME ($60,000.00)\r\n    \r\n        This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install a 161.28kW solar photovoltaic roof-mounted system. This project will replace 171,112kWh (92%) and save $22,245 per year.\r\n    \r\n    Sheepscot General, LLC, Whitefield, ME ($26,750.00)\r\n    \r\n        This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install a 54.6 kW solar photovoltaic roof-mounted system. This project will replace 70,856 kWh (74%) and save $9,636 in per year.\r\n    \r\n    Brooks Inc., Thomaston, ME ($50,000.00)\r\n    \r\n        This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install a 115.9 kW solar electric roof-mounted system. This project will replace 123,877 kWh (86%) and save $16,104 in per year.\r\n    \r\n    Maine Beer Company LLC, Freeport, ME ($90,878.00)\r\n    \r\n        This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install a 193.71 kW solar electric roof-mounted system. This project will replace 223,762 kWh (51%) and save $33,027 per year.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3187", "Pingrees Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Americas Working Waterfronts Passes House", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine)'s bipartisan bill,H.R. 3596, the Keep America's Waterfronts Working Act, today passed the House of Representatives ona262-151 vote.\r\nMore than 30,000 Mainers rely on marine-related industries for their livelihoods. Yet out of five thousand miles ofcoastline, just 20 miles of workable waterfront remains in the state,said Pingree.Coastal communities across the country are feeling the same squeeze. Further reducing our usable coastline will adversely impact everything from aquaculture and boatbuilding, to coastal tourism and commercial fishing.\r\nWatch Pingree's full floor speech on H.R.3595here.\r\nPingree's bill seeks to preserve the character of coastal communities by protecting jobs, commercial activities, and public access to America'scoast.H.R. 3596would:\r\n \r\n    establish aWorkingWaterfront Grant Program to provide matching, competitive grants to coastal states to help preserve and expand access to coastal waters for water-dependent businesses\r\n    create a five-year pilot for a loan fund for waterfront preservation, modeled after state drinking water loans\r\n    authorize $12 million each for both the loan and grant programs\r\n    organize aWorkingWaterfront Task Force at the Department of Commerce to identify and prioritize critical needs forworking waterfronts, especially in the face of the climate crisis and increased trade threats.\r\n \r\nPingree's bill passed as a part of H.R. 729, a package often bipartisan bills aimed at protecting vulnerable coastal and Great Lakes communities impacted by the climate crisis.\r\nPingree haslong advocated for federal resources to help Maine communitiespreserve and expand shoreline access and infrastructure for water-dependent industries, such as fishing, boat building, and aquaculture.Her bill to study and combat ocean acidification,H.R. 1716, the Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act, unanimously passed the House of Representatives on June 5, 2019.\r\nSUPPORT FROM MAINE STAKEHOLDERS\r\nThe Keep America's Waterfronts Working Act will help Maine's coastal communities preserve, improve, and protect waterfront infrastructure vital to the state and the nation's coastal economy. Working waterfronts are critical, around that nation, for access to coastal and marine resources, from fish and shellfish to offshore wind. The Working Waterfront Grant Program would provide essential support for coastal communities, including recreational and commercial businesses throughout Maine and the US, to plan for and adapt to changing economic and environmental conditions.Gayle Zydlewski, Director of Maine Sea Grant\r\nWe support LD 3596, Keep America's Waterfronts Working Act. As a nonprofit dedicated to improving and protecting the health of Casco Bay, Friends of Casco Bay understands that globally we must reduce the causes of climate change, and locally we must find solutions to the inevitable consequences of our climate crisis. LD 3596, Keep America's Waterfronts Working Act, properly supports and funds localized solutions that can help keep Maine's marine waters and economy healthy and vital.Ivy Frignoca, Casco Baykeeper, Friends of Casco Bay\r\nFishermen are a crucial part of our food system and supply our nation with high quality sustainable seafood from wild harvest and aquaculture sources. Much like we invest in local agriculture and infrastructure, we must to find ways to invest in our working waterfront to ensure access and opportunity for fishermen, families, and the next generation. This is a step in the right direction towards that end.Ben Martens, Executive Director, Maine Coast Fisherman's Association\r\nRepresentative Pingree's bill provides critical support needed by our coastal communities in the face of new challenges. These areas are on the front line of climate change every day, facing rising sea levels, ocean acidification, continuing loss of shoreside infrastructure and shifting fisheries resources due to warming waters. It is essential that we back these working waterfronts as they are vital to our coastal and marine economy. With valuable resources and thoughtful planning for America's seaside, Pingree's bill prepares our coastlines to sustain and support coastal businesses and industries well into the future. This legislation, coupled with conservation-minded fisheries policy that promotes both healthy fish populations and community-based fishing interests, will ensure continuous access to locally important wild-caught seafood and rewarding recreational experiences for everyone. We encourage the Senate to quickly take up and pass this package of crucial shoreline protections.Rob Vandermark, Executive Director of the Marine Fish Conservation Network\r\nAs chair of the Legislature's Marine Resources Committee, I know how crucial our working waterfronts are to Maine's culture and economy, said Sen. Miramant. I'm grateful for Congresswoman Pingree's work on this bill, which will help ensure that our working waterfronts continue to thrive for future generations. She and I will always do everything we can to protect our fisheries, natural habitat, and recreational areas up and down the coast.State Senator Dave Miramant, Chair of the Marine Resources Committee\r\nThe future of Maine's coastal communities is closely tied to the future of working waterfronts. As working waterfront infrastructure and associated businesses face a variety of external threats, additional support is warranted. Representative Pingree's long time dedication to preserving working waterfronts highlights Maine's ability to lead in modeling coastal community sustainability.Rob Snyder, President of the Island Institute\r\nThe National Working Waterfront Network (NWWN) supports H.R. 3596, the Keep America's Waterfronts Working Act.The NWWN increases the capacity of those who rely on, support, and enhance our nation's working waterfronts and waterways to ensure continued viability.Keep America's Waterfronts Working Actwill provide opportunities for meaningful dialogue, funding and planning for our working waterfronts.Nicole Faghin, National Working Waterfront Network\r\nNew England'scoastal communities are on the frontlines of climate change. This bill is a step toward keeping Maine's waterfront economy and culture alive. We appreciate Rep.Pingree's leadership on this important issue.Sean Mahoney,Executive Vice President and Director of CLF Maine\r\nFull text of Pingree's remarks on the House floor is as follows:\r\nI rise today in support of H.R. 729, which includes my bipartisan bill to protect America's working waterfronts at a time when environmental pressures and rapid development threaten their future.\r\nMore than 30,000 Mainers rely on marine-related industries for their livelihoods. Yet out of five thousand miles ofcoastline, just 20 miles of workable waterfront remains in our state.\r\nCoastal communities across the country are feeling that same squeeze.\r\nFurther reducing our usable coastline will adversely impact everything from aquaculture and boatbuilding, to coastal tourism and commercial fishing.\r\nMy bill will help to reverse this disturbing nationwide trend of shrinking waterfronts. It will protect jobs and preserve the character of coastal communities.\r\nIt establishes a WorkingWaterfront Grant Program and a five-year loan fund pilot program for waterfront preservation.\r\nIt sets up a Task Force within the Department of Commerce to identify and prioritize critical needs forthe nation's working waterfronts.\r\nThrough the task force, the bill will also help communities identify and mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis.\r\nAt a time when 42 percent of Americans live in coastal communities, this Task Force is not only a vital planning measure for today, it will support the generations who will follow us.\r\nFor eight years, the House leadership on the other side stalled critical initiatives like this one to address the climate crisis.\r\nThe scope and severity of this crisis requires comprehensive action. And though my bill addresses just one small piece, it will make all the difference for communities in my state and across the country.\r\nI urge my colleagues to join me in support of working waterfronts and vote yes on this bill and I yield back.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3184", "Pingree Announces Award of Almost $950k from USDA to Strengthen Local and Regional Markets for Maine Agricultural Products", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is awarding $948,019.04 to three Maine institutions to increase consumption of and access to local and regional agricultural products. The Gulf of Maine Research Institute in Portland, the Sustainability Lab in Yarmouth, and Maine Federation of Farmers Markets in Belfast will receive funding from the Local Food Promotion Program and the Farmers Market Promotion Program, respectively.\r\nThe local and regional food industry has experienced massive growth in recent yearsboth in Maine and across our countryand shows no sign of slowing down. As farmers cope with the uncertainty of trade wars, they know they can rely on their local communities to support their business,said Pingree.I fought hard for this incredibly important funding to be included in the 2018 Farm Bill, and I'm thrilled to see the results come to local Maine farmers. With these USDA resources, Mainers will be able to access to locally grown, healthy foods and support their neighborhood farms.\r\nThe funding is made possible through USDA's Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program, a part of the Local Agriculture Marketing Program (LAMP) authorized in the 2018 Farm Bill. Pingree was instrumental in securing LAMP in the 2018 Farm Bill,leading a bipartisan letter of 43 House membersurging leadership of the Farm Bill conference committee to include LAMP in the legislation's final text. LAMP was a provision of H.R. 3941, theLocal FARMS Act, Pingree's bipartisan bill to boost access to local and regional food markets and support local economies.\r\n\"This funding from the USDA will give us the opportunity to implement a suite of region-wide quality handling improvements that will ultimately increase the value of seafood harvested in New England. These improvements are critical for our region's seafood industry to grow and to compete with high quality imported seafood, which is currently the largest barrier to market access for much of the finfish harvested in New England's waters,said Kyle Foley, Sustainable Seafood Program Manager at Gulf of Maine Research Institute.\r\nWe're pleased to be receiving a USDA FMPP grant to help promote farmers' markets across our state. This grant project is rooted in community and place, by facilitating partnerships between farmers' markets and local employers that will help introduce more Mainers to the amazing benefits of shopping at farmers' markets. We've seen positive results from a recent pilot with the City of Bangor, and we're excited to bring this marketing model to more Maine communities from Portland to Presque Isle,said Jimmy DeBiasi, Director of Programs at Maine Federation of Farmers' Markets.\r\n\"This grant is the cornerstone for allowing Fork Food Lab to move to a new location with more space and equipment to better serve our 45 current and future food entrepreneurs. This will allow members to grow, hire more workers and in turn source more local products and help grow the local food economy,\"said Bill Seretta, President, The Sustainability Lab.\r\n\r\nDetails of the grant are as follows:\r\nRecipient:Gulf of Maine Research Institute Portland, ME\r\n \r\n    Project Type: Implementation\r\n    Total Project Amount: $612,791.00\r\n    \r\n        Award Amount:$487,791.00\r\n        Match Amount:$125,000.00\r\n    \r\n    Project Title:A Regional Effort to Improve Quality and Market Opportunities for New England Finfish\r\n    \r\n        The goal of this project is to implement a suite of region-wide quality and food safety improvements that will improve the market demand and value for seafood harvested by New England fishermen. This project will increase local access to and consumption of local seafood, as well as give local fishermen an opportunity to capture more value for their catch. This project will facilitate coordination and collaboration across the seafood value chain to improve food safety, quality handling, and waste reduction. We will partner with a key aggregator in the region to improve handling and develop best practices at the processor level of the supply chain. Improvements to the availability and access to ice for fishing vessels in four New England ports, a critical and basic issue that impacts quality and safety will be made. A series of workshops to increase awareness and understanding of a range of quality, food safety, and waste reduction issues in order to collaborate on region- wide standards will bring together fishermen, processors, and buyers. These improvements are critical for our region's seafood industry to grow and to compete with high quality imported seafood, which is currently the largest barrier to market access for much of the finfish harvested in New England's waters.\r\n    \r\n \r\nRecipient:The Sustainability Lab Yarmouth, ME\r\n \r\n    Project Type: Planning\r\n    Total Project Amount: $129,335.60\r\n    \r\n        Award Amount:$99,997.82\r\n        Match Amount:$29,337.78\r\n    \r\n    Project Title:Fork Food Lab 2.0\r\n    \r\n        Home to 45 enterprises, Fork Food Lab, Maine's premier commercial kitchen incubator, is nearing full capacity. As a result, the Sustainability Lab will develop the Fork Food Lab 2.0 Plan, a roadmap for a physical expansion that will 1) enable exploration of new food sectors, such as meat, fish, dairy, fermented products, and craft beer, wine and spirits; 2) help manufacturers access specialized equipment necessary to scale production; and 3) provide scaling businesses with dedicated space for manufacturing. By expanding the capacity of Fork Food Lab, will facilitate the development of value-added products from $1 million in Maine fish, meat, dairy, eggs, grains, and produce, resulting in the creation of 246 jobs and $15 million in economic impact by 2025.\r\n    \r\n \r\nRecipient:Maine Federation of Farmers Markets Belfast, ME\r\n \r\n    Project Type: Capacity Building\r\n    Total Project Amount: $205,892.44\r\n    \r\n        Award Amount:$160,111.00\r\n        Match Amount:$45,781.44\r\n    \r\n    Project Title:The Workplace To Market Project\r\n    \r\n        Workplace to Market is a collaborative, multi-faceted project that aims to cause consumer behavior change through targeted incentives to working-age adults at their workplace. Project partners will trial and monitor the impact of shopping incentive models that drive new customers to farmers' markets. The findings will be shared through online and print resources, serving as a new marketing strategy for farmers' markets across the country to use. The project goals are to 1) increase the number of new shoppers patronizing farmers markets and other direct-to-consumer outlets across Maine through workplace incentives with local employer-partners; 2) create a toolkit resource in print and online for farmers markets to utilize in cultivating new business partners; and 3) conduct a promotional campaign to educate consumers and cultivate new partnerships among employers and farmers markets. Outcomes include an increase in farm sales and an increase in the number of new and returning customers at farmers' markets over the long haul. A toolkit, based on the piloted models and the findings of various partnerships across Maine, will be developed and distributed as a resource for farmers to develop their own partnerships with employers in their communities.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-cmp-guarantee-cmp-corridor-jobs-go-mainers-project-labor-agreement", "Golden to CMP: Guarantee CMP Corridor Jobs Go to Mainers with a Project Labor Agreement", "2019-12-05", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) wrote to executives of Central Maine Power (CMP) and parent company Avangrid today to express his desire that the company consider entering into a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) with local unions for its New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) project.\nAs my constituents continue to review the costs and benefits of the project to Maine's economy and environment, I strongly encourage you to consider joining a project labor agreement (PLA) with local labor organizationsin order to secure the highly-trained electricians, operating engineers, ironworkers, laborers, and other trades professionals necessary to complete the project...wrote Golden.In order to maximize the benefit to Maine communities, CMP should guarantee that these jobs go to Mainers.\nA PLA is a collective bargaining agreement that management enters into with union or non-union companies or labor organizations to establish terms and conditions for a specific project. For Maine workers, a PLA could help ensure any jobs created by the potential NECEC project would go to Mainers and provide them with a good wage, fair benefits, and a safe workplace. Additionally, CMP could gain a guaranteed skilled labor supply and the opportunity to demonstrate that the company is fully committed to the future of Maine's workforce and economy. By drawing from the building trades' registered apprenticeship programs, the company could also play a significant role in training the next generation of Maine workers.\nIn October, Golden expressed concerns with the lack of transparency and opportunities for public input on the NECEC project in a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers. In the letter, he requested a public hearing, citing precedents for such hearings in New Hampshire and Vermont. The Army Corps agreed to hold the hearing today, December 5th, in Lewiston.\nRead Congressman Golden's letterhere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3183", "Pingree Joins More than 120 House Colleagues in Condemning Trumps Withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement", "2019-12-05", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today joined more than 120 of her House colleagues in condemning the Trump administration's formal withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement. Theresolutionwas introduced during the ongoing 2019 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP25) in light of the Administration's beginning of a formal withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, which seeks to limit the increase in global temperatures to less than 2 C.\r\nIn Maine, climate change isn't an abstraction. It is a very real threat to our economy and to our way of life, and if we don't act quickly, our state will suffer,said Pingree.The Trump administration's retreat from a global commitment to reduce emissions is dangerous and reckless. I'm glad to stand with my colleagues in the House in reaffirming America's commitment to reduce emissions and I'm proud to join countless leaders around the world in confronting the perils of the climate crisis.\r\nThe International Paris Agreement on Climate Change, signed in December 2015 at COP21 by President Obama, set out to strengthen the global response to climate change and required all signing parties to regularly report their emissions levels and efforts to curtail greenhouse gases in their respective countries. President Trump announced his intention to pull out of the agreement in 2017, in spite of the fact that more than 1,000 businesses and nearly 200 nations are still in support of the commitment.\r\nPingree haspreviously condemned the Trump administration's decision to withdraw from the agreement. She was an original cosponsor ofH.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act, which would prohibit the use of federal funds to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement and pressures the Executivebranchto develop a plan for meetingour national commitment to greenhouse gas reductions.Pingreetook to the floorof the House of Representatives on May 1, 2019 to deliver a speech in favor of its passage.\r\nPingree has championed a bold agenda to combat the climate crisis,includinglegislationto commit the United States to a100% clean economy by 2050. She is an original cosponsor of the visionaryGreen New Deal.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-holds-veterans-town-hall-dixfield", "Golden Holds Veterans Town Hall in Dixfield", "2019-12-04", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "DIXFIELD Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) held a town hall meeting at the Dixfield American Legion Monday evening to hear about the issues facing local veterans and their families.Golden answered questions about his work to improve health care for American veterans and to make sure vets receive the full benefits and services they've earned. The group also discussed ways to improve VA care and communication, education and job opportunities for veterans, and other veterans' issues.\nThe event was free and open to the public. The town hall was moderated by Dixfield's Town Manager, Dustin Starbuck. This is Golden's sixth town hall-style event since taking office in January.\nGolden has made veterans issues a priority. Since January, he's focused on:\nImproving Mental Health and Substance Abuse Care at Togus\n \nGolden is working with the VA and Togus to bring inpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment beds to Maine. Additional treatment beds for this important long-term care prevents Maine veterans from being sent far from home to other states to receive treatment\n\tHe also helped to increase funding for this purpose for all veterans in VA facilities by successfully sponsoring an amendment that the full House approved as part of the VA Appropriation Bill (H.R. 3055).\n \nProtecting Veterans' Families\nImproving Housing Opportunities for Homeless Veterans\n \nGolden moved to expand eligibility and give more veterans access to housing opportunities for the HUD-VA Supportive Housing Program, signing on toH.R. 2398.\n \nExpanding VA Benefits for Service-Connected Illnesses\nModernizing Veterans Care and Benefits\nTo view a summary of Golden's work with veterans, you can clickhere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/maine-delegation-calls-feds-answer-shortcomings-data-correct-inaccuracies", "Maine Delegation Calls on Feds to Answer for Shortcomings in Data, Correct Inaccuracies before Releasing New Rules on Lobstermen", "2019-12-04", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME), Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01), and Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) pressed the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) over the accuracy of the data and assumptions the agency is using to craft new regulations on Maine's lobstermen.\nThe delegation is requesting additional information from NOAA about how the findings of a recently completed peer-review process will be incorporated into its draft rules on the lobster fishery. Additionally, the Members of Congress are calling on the agency to better account for the role of Canadian fisheries and ship strikes, as well as other U.S. fisheries, in the agency's estimates of risk to the North Atlantic right whale.\nGiven the significant and potentially life-threatening modifications that Maine lobstermen are being pressed to implement in order to meet a risk reduction target set by the [Take Reduction Team], NOAA Fisheries must ensure that accurate data and the best available scientific evidence alone serve as the basis for determining the level of risk posed by Maine's lobster fishery andall otherfisheries interacting with the species,wrote the Maine delegation.It is our hope that the agency will continue its work to improve the quality of the information as well as the manner in which it is interpreted and not proceed with regulations that are based on uncertain estimations, particularly given the number of lives and livelihoods that are at stake.\nFollowing pressure from the delegation, NOAA completed a peer-review process for the data tool it uses to create the regulations, which are intended to protect the North Atlantic Right Whale. The Members of Congress are asking NOAA how it plans to incorporate the results of the peer review into the draft regulations ahead of their expected release in early 2020, noting that the agency is on a tight timeline.\nCollins, King, Pingree, and Golden also expressed concern and frustration over NOAA's repeated failure to acknowledge the outsized risk Canadian fisheries pose to right whales. While Maine's lobster fishery has made modifications that have reduced documented whale entanglements by 90 percent in the last decade, Canada has not taken comparable steps. In fact, Canada has rolled back several of its whale protection efforts in 2019.\nContinuing to downplay the role of Canadian fisheries in future right whale management plans ignores the reality that the species is not bound by national borders,continued the Members of Congress.Lobster fishery management efforts cannot be successful unless the impacts from Canadian fisheries and shipping on right whale injury and mortality are adequately accounted for. We continue to be dismayed by NOAA Fisheries' assumption that the United States and Canada pose equal risk to the North Atlantic right whale, despite the clear outsized role of Canada in right whale deaths in recent years.\nThe Maine delegation also took issue with inaccurate information recently published by NOAA on its website. The delegation argued that the agency's Right Whales and the Lobster Fishery webpage perpetuates the false narrative that the Maine lobster fishery is the primary cause of right whale serious injury and mortality, despite clear evidence to the contrary. Maine's Department of Marine Resources and Maine lobster fishery stakeholders have previously pointed out factual inaccuracies with much of the webpage's source material, but NOAA has yet to remove or correct the misleading information.\nThe regulations being developed by NOAA will have a profound effect on Maine's lobster industry. As such, the federal government owes it to Maine lobstermen and their communities to  at the very least  use the best available evidence and accurate data to create these regulations. The MLA strongly agrees with our delegation: NOAA should quickly incorporate the findings of its peer-review into its data tool, account for the risk from Canadian fisheries, and they should remove misleading and inaccurate information from their website. We thank Senators Collins and King and Representatives Pingree and Golden for their work on behalf of Maine lobstering communities.- Patrice McCarron, Executive Director, Maine Lobstermen's Association.\nCollins, King, Pingree, and Golden have consistently stood up for Maine lobstermen, demanding that government agencies ground their regulations in sound science and data. In July,the group wrote to the presidentto urge him to intervene in NOAA's rulemaking.Golden and Pingree introduced an amendment in Junethat would have temporarily blocked NOAA's efforts pending a peer-review. Thedelegation also raised concerns over the process and dataNOAA has used to develop its proposed rules in a May letter to NOAA officials.\nRead a copy of the letterhere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3181", "Pingree Statement on Finalized Trump Administration Rule to Cut SNAP for Nearly 700k Recipients", "2019-12-04", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) issued the following statement in light of USDA's announcement that the Trump administration will tighten work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is estimated to cut benefits for nearly 700,000 recipients:\r\nThe Trump administration gave trillion dollar tax cuts to corporations and billionaires, yet they don't think people should have access to healthy, nutritious foods. This is another example of how their cruelty knows no bounds.\r\nAccess to healthy, nutritious food is a fundamental right. This rule will only increase food insecurity in Maine and across the country. As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I fiercelyfought to exclude these restrictions fromthe 2018 Farm Bill, just like I opposed their implementation in Maine. This policy does not magically create new jobs or reduce food insecurity. USDA should be lifting up the hungry, not abandoning them in their time of need.\r\n\r\nThe state of Maine ranks as one of the top ten most food-insecure states in the country. One in five Maine children experiences food insecurity. Maine instituted a similar policy during the LePage administration, which increased the state's food insecurity to 15.8%.\r\n\r\nPingreewroteto USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue in April expressing concerns about the proposed SNAP work requirements. In addition to her own letter, Pingree signed on to a letter with 100members of the House outlining the broader implications of this proposed rule for the nation. She also is cosponsor of theProtect SNAP Act, which would prevent the Secretary of USDA from implementing stricter work requirement under SNAP.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3182", "Maine Delegation Calls on Feds to Answer for Shortcomings in Data, Correct Inaccuracies before Releasing New Rules on Lobstermen", "2019-12-04", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME), Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01), and Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) pressed the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) over the accuracy of the data and assumptions the agency is using to craft new regulations on Maine's lobstermen.\r\nThe delegation is requesting additional information from NOAA about how the findings of a recently completed peer-review process will be incorporated into its draft rules on the lobster fishery. Additionally, the Members of Congress are calling on the agency to better account for the role of Canadian fisheries and ship strikes, as well as other U.S. fisheries, in the agency's estimates of risk to the North Atlantic right whale.\r\nGiven the significant and potentially life-threatening modifications that Maine lobstermen are being pressed to implement in order to meet a risk reduction target set by the [Take Reduction Team], NOAA Fisheries must ensure that accurate data and the best available scientific evidence alone serve as the basis for determining the level of risk posed by Maine's lobster fishery andall otherfisheries interacting with the species,wrote the Maine delegation.It is our hope that the agency will continue its work to improve the quality of the information as well as the manner in which it is interpreted and not proceed with regulations that are based on uncertain estimations, particularly given the number of lives and livelihoods that are at stake.\r\nFollowing pressure from the delegation, NOAA completed a peer-review process for the data tool it uses to create the regulations, which are intended to protect the North Atlantic Right Whale. The Members of Congress are asking NOAA how it plans to incorporate the results of the peer review into the draft regulations ahead of their expected release in early 2020, noting that the agency is on a tight timeline.\r\nCollins, King, Pingree, and Golden also expressed concern and frustration over NOAA's repeated failure to acknowledge the outsized risk Canadian fisheries pose to right whales. While Maine's lobster fishery has made modifications that have reduced documented whale entanglements by 90 percent in the last decade, Canada has not taken comparable steps. In fact, Canada has rolled back several of its whale protection efforts in 2019.\r\nContinuing to downplay the role of Canadian fisheries in future right whale management plans ignores the reality that the species is not bound by national borders,continued the Members of Congress.Lobster fishery management efforts cannot be successful unless the impacts from Canadian fisheries and shipping on right whale injury and mortality are adequately accounted for. We continue to be dismayed by NOAA Fisheries' assumption that the United States and Canada pose equal risk to the North Atlantic right whale, despite the clear outsized role of Canada in right whale deaths in recent years.\r\nThe Maine delegation also took issue with inaccurate information recently published by NOAA on its website. The delegation argued that the agency's Right Whales and the Lobster Fishery webpage perpetuates the false narrative that the Maine lobster fishery is the primary cause of right whale serious injury and mortality, despite clear evidence to the contrary. Maine's Department of Marine Resources and Maine lobster fishery stakeholders have previously pointed out factual inaccuracies with much of the webpage's source material, but NOAA has yet to remove or correct the misleading information.\r\nThe regulations being developed by NOAA will have a profound effect on Maine's lobster industry. As such, the federal government owes it to Maine lobstermen and their communities to  at the very least  use the best available evidence and accurate data to create these regulations. The MLA strongly agrees with our delegation: NOAA should quickly incorporate the findings of its peer-review into its data tool, account for the risk from Canadian fisheries, and they should remove misleading and inaccurate information from their website. We thank Senators Collins and King and Representatives Pingree and Golden for their work on behalf of Maine lobstering communities.- Patrice McCarron, Executive Director, Maine Lobstermen's Association.\r\nCollins, King, Pingree, and Golden have consistently stood up for Maine lobstermen, demanding that government agencies ground their regulations in sound science and data. In July,the group wrote to the presidentto urge him to intervene in NOAA's rulemaking.Golden and Pingree introduced an amendment in Junethat would have temporarily blocked NOAA's efforts pending a peer-review. Thedelegation also raised concerns over the process and dataNOAA has used to develop its proposed rules in a May letter to NOAA officials.\r\nRead a copy of the letterhere.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3180", "Pingree Joins Organic Caucus Colleagues in Supporting USDA Origin of Livestock Rule", "2019-12-02", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Pingree Joins Organic Caucus Colleagues in Supporting USDA Origin of Livestock Rule  \r\n    \r\n     \r\n\r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Washington,\r\n      December 2, 2019\r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n        \r\n           \r\n      \r\n          \r\n      \r\n           \r\n        \r\n      \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n       \r\n\r\nCongresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) joined her fellow House Organic Caucus co-chairs Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.), Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), Rep Ron Kind (D-Wis.), Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) in urging USDA to issue a final rule on the Origin of Livestock standards, a critical regulation for thousands of organic dairy farmers around the country. A copy of the letter in support of the rule can be foundhere.\r\nSome organic certifiers are currently allowing dairy animals to be continuously transitioned in and out of organic production, while other certifiers correctly enforce a one-time transition. The proposed rule, developed under the Obama administration in 2015, would clarify that continuous transition of non-organic livestock into organic production is prohibited and would level the playing field for organic dairy farmers, thus protecting the integrity of the organic label. The public comment period on the reopened proposed rule ended on December 2, 2019 at midnight.\r\nDue to the OIG's findings of the misapplication of the organic regulations, USDA issued the 2015 proposed rule on Origin of Livestock to clarify the regulations to ensure the regulations were being consistently and correctly applied. USDA received more than 1,500 comments during the public comment period and over 99% of the comments received were in support of the proposed regulations that clarified and strengthened the requirements surrounding the allowance of a one-time transition. Despite the overwhelming support by the organic dairy industry and stakeholders, a final rule was not published,said the Organic Caucus co-chairs in the letter.A handful of producers have exploited the lack of clarity in the regulations causing direct economic harm to the majority of the nation's organic dairy farmers that adhere to the intent of the organic regulationsA final rule [must] be issued and become effective as soon as possible without delay.\r\nIn response to Secretary of Agriculture Perdue's claims of industry division on the origin of livestock rulemaking, Congresswoman Pingree has repeatedly pushed USDA to provide information about any opposition to the Obama-era rule. In a House Appropriations Committee hearing last April, she questioned the Secretary on the lack of a consistent origin of organic livestock standard and why the USDA has not finalized the origin of livestock ruling. Pingree then sent aletterto Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue in May, asking him to finalize the origin of livestock rulemaking.\r\nAs a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Pingreesecuredthe inclusion of language directing the USDA to finalize the origin of organic livestock ruling in the FY2020 Agriculture Appropriations Bill that the House passed in June. In July, shequestionedUSDA's Marketing and Regulatory Programs Undersecretary Greg Ibach on the National Organic Program and the delay in the origin of livestock rulemaking.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-backs-new-bill-protect-social-security-benefits-teachers-law-enforcement", "Golden Backs New Bill to Protect Social Security Benefits for Teachers, Law Enforcement, and Other Public Servants", "2019-11-25", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON To help Maine teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other dedicated public servants keep more of the money they've earned, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) has signed on to a new bipartisan bill that would amend the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) to protect the Social Security benefits many public servants have paid into for years.\nIf you pay into Social Security, you should receive the benefits you've earned,said Golden.Nearly 1 in 4 Mainers, including more than 220,000 Maine seniors, receive Social Security benefits. But right now, thousands of Maine's public servants are having their benefits reduced because of an outdated, confusing provision that doesn't make sense for most workers. We shouldn't punish hard-working folks who have second jobs or who make the transition into public service by slashing their benefits. This is a simple, bipartisan fix to a big problem for many Mainers.\nMany public servants do not pay into Social Security or receive Social Security benefits since they receive separate pensions through their workplace. However, many of these workers take second jobs, switch careers from the private to public sector, or make other changes to their employment that makes them eligible to pay into and receive Social Security. Due to an obscure and outdated WEP formula used to calculate the Social Security benefits in these cases, many public servants do not receive the benefits they have earned after paying into the system.\nThePublic Servants Protection and Fairness Actwould increase benefits by up to $150 per month for current retirees who are impacted by the WEP and would ensure that benefit calculations for future retirees accurately reflect the share of each worker's earnings derived from jobs that were covered by Social Security.\nYou can read the text of the billhere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3178", "Pingree Announces $1.59M in USDA Rural Development Funds for Richmond Utilities District", "2019-11-22", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved a loan of $800,000 and a grant of $790,000 from the Rural Development program for the Richmond Utilities District, totaling $1.59 million in investments for wastewater treatment in the town. The funds will be used to complete the 2017 Treatment Plant Upgrades Project.\r\nEvery Mainer deserves access to clean waterincluding the 563 people who rely on Richmond's treatment plant to be efficient and effective,said Pingree.These long overdue upgrades will ensure a cleaner Kennebec River, which is a lifeline for the Town of Richmond, and will mitigate any health hazards that currently exist. I was proud to advocate for this funding on the Appropriations Committee and I know it will have a measurable impact on the community.\r\nThe Richmond Water Treatment Plant has been under construction since 2017. Construction costs have come in substantially higher than original estimates. This $1.59 million in additional funding for the District will allow for complete rehabilitation of their wastewater treatment plant to address the aging infrastructure and capacity issues in the project area and will provide some upgrades to the administrative office. The proposed project will not only correct the system's current operating deficiencies, but also help the town improve their economic development opportunities.\r\nThe Kennebec Riveran important part of the Town of Richmondis a significant resource for the region, valued for recreation, freshwater, and adiverse,expansive wildlife habitat. These upgrades will help the system operate more effectively and efficiently, curing health hazards and improving the water quality of the Kennebec.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3175", "Pingree Leads Letter Signed by 100+ House Members Demanding Stephen Millers Immediate Firing", "2019-11-21", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Don Beyer (D-VA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-NJ), Norma J. Torres (D-CA), Bill Foster (D-IL) today led a group of 107 Members of Congress indemandingthat the White House fire Senior Advisor to the President Stephen Miller.\r\nTheir letter quoted from emails Miller wrote, which were recentlypublishedby the Southern Poverty Law Center. They connected the white nationalist sentiments expressed in those emails to discriminatory Trump Administration policy proposals initiated or influenced by Miller.\r\nThey wrote:\r\nWe formally request that you immediately remove White House Senior Advisor Stephen Miller from your administration. A documented white nationalist has no place in any presidential administration, and especially not in such an influential position.\r\nLast week, numerous emails sent by Mr. Miller were made public that clearly establish that he is an avid white nationalist and conspiracy theorist. These emails included material exposing Miller's support of white supremacist ideology and literature, xenophobic conspiracy theories, as well as his promotion of white supremacist websites.\r\nBeyond the disturbing emails that Mr. Miller wrote, is the clear conclusion that he brought his dedication to white nationalism with him into your administration and translated this hateful ideology directly into your administration's discriminatory immigration policies.  \r\n  \r\nMiller's emails and the sentiments expressed in them are incompatible with public service and render him unfit to shape any policy  immigration or otherwise. We refuse to tolerate white nationalism and xenophobia in the White House or elsewhere in the United States. Mr. Miller must be fired immediately.\r\nText of the letter follows below, and a signed copy is availablehere.\r\nThe letter was signed by Reps. Donald S. Beyer Jr., Barbara Lee, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Ilhan Omar, Bill Pascrell Jr., Norma J. Torres, Bill Foster, Chellie Pingree, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Ben Ray Lujn, David N. Cicilline, Jerrold Nadler, Joaquin Castro, Ted W. Lieu, Joseph P. Kennedy III, Jamie Raskin, Henry C. \"Hank\" Johnson, Jr., Peter A. DeFazio, Karen Bass, Ruben Gallego, Nydia Velazquez, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Mike Doyle, Gerald E. Connolly, Bobby L. Rush, Tony Crdenas, Steve Cohen, Alan Lowenthal, Adriano Espaillat, Susan Wild, Andre' Carson, Dwight Evans, Albio Sires, Jan Schakowsky, G. K. Butterfield, Frank Pallone, Jr., Tom Malinowski, Eliot L. Engel, Grace F. Napolitano, William R. Keating, Jared Huffman, Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragn, David E. Price, Mark Pocan, Juan Vargas, Earl Blumenauer, Veronica Escobar, Mike Quigley, Jimmy Gomez, Sylvia R. Garcia, Joyce Beatty, Suzanne Bonamici, Jess G. Chuy Garca, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Sharice L. Davids, Julia Brownley, Gregory W. Meeks, Brenda L. Lawrence, Seth Moulton, Adam Smith, Nita M. Lowey, Zoe Lofgren, Andy Levin, Pramila Jayapal, Bradley S. Schneider, Judy Chu, Darren Soto, Brendan F. Boyle , Mark Takano, Rick Larsen, John Yarmuth, Yvette D. Clarke, Jahana Hayes, Pete Aguilar, Ral M. Grijalva, Tim Ryan, Peter Welch, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Jos E. Serrano, Marc Veasey, Lloyd Doggett, Frederica Wilson, Jimmy Panetta, Sheila Jackson Lee, Val Butler Demings, Anna G. Eshoo, Betty McCollum, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Paul Tonko, Ed Perlmutter, Terri Sewell, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Gwen Moore, Grace Meng, Jackie Speier, James P. McGovern, Deb Haaland, Al Green, Daniel T. Kildee, Mark DeSaulnier, Danny K. Davis, Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr., Brian Higgins, Rosa DeLauro, Diana DeGette, and Alma Adams.\r\n***\r\nThe Honorable Donald J. Trump  \r\nThe White House  \r\n1600 Pennsylvania Ave N.W.,  \r\nWashington, DC 20500\r\nDear President Trump:\r\nWe formally request that you immediately remove White House Senior Advisor Stephen Miller from your administration. A documented white nationalist has no place in any presidential administration, and especially not in such an influential position.\r\nLast week, numerous emails sent by Mr. Miller were made public that clearly establish that he is an avid white nationalist and conspiracy theorist. These emails included material exposing Miller's support of white supremacist ideology and literature, xenophobic conspiracy theories, as well as his promotion of white supremacist websites. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center's Hatewatch blog, which obtained the emails, 80 percent of the more than 900 emails directly referenced race or immigration, and none contained examples of Miller writing sympathetically or even in neutral tones about any person who is non-white or foreign-born. Given Mr. Miller's role in shaping immigration policy for your administration, his documented dedication to extremist, anti-immigrant ideology and conspiracy-mongering is disqualifying.\r\nBeyond the disturbing emails that Mr. Miller wrote, is the clear conclusion that he brought his dedication to white nationalism with him into your administration and translated this hateful ideology directly into your administration's discriminatory immigration policies. Mr. Miller's documented hatred of Muslim immigrants shaped your Muslim ban, and sheds new light on your administration's intent in writing that ban. Mr. Miller's clear support for haltingallimmigration is evident in many forms, including your continued support for ending DACA as well as the increasing difficulty of obtaining asylum and visas across all categories. There is a clear line between Miller's advocacy for books like Camp of the Saints,a novel celebrated by neo-Nazis for promoting the view of non-white immigrants as monsters and the Administration's inhumane family separation policy, of which Miller was the primary architect.\r\nStephen Miller's nativism was cited as a major impetus behind your decision to reject a bipartisan compromise immigration bill that would have protected Dreamers due to his belief that the compromise would not reduce enough documented immigration. Appallingly, Mr. Miller referred to refugees as foreign-born terrorists in his emails, a belief which clearly translated to the unprecedented low ceiling on refugee admissions and even lower actual entrants at a time of the worst international refugee crisis in history. These are just a few obvious examples of Mr. Miller's white supremacist influence on your immigration policy, and it seems likely that his perfidious adherence to extremist ideology has shaped your administration in ways that are not yet public. Miller's emails and the sentiments expressed in them are incompatible with public service and render him unfit to shape any policy  immigration or otherwise\r\nWe refuse to tolerate white nationalism and xenophobia in the White House or elsewhere in the United States. Mr. Miller must be fired immediately.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3177", "Pingree, McEachin, Haaland, Dingell, Blumenauer & Tonko Introduce 100% Clean Economy Bill with Support from Mainers, 150+ Members of Congress", "2019-11-21", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01), along with Representatives A. Donald McEachin (VA-04), Deb Haaland (NM-01),DebbieDingell (MI-12), Earl Blumenauer (OR-3), and Paul Tonko (NY-20), today introduced the100% Clean Economy Act of 2019. This legislation sets a nationwide goal of achieving a 100% clean energy economy by 2050, defined as net-zero climate pollution across all sectors of the United States' economy. The bill was introduced withover 150 original co-sponsors.\r\nIn Maine, climate change is not coming down the pipelineit is already at our door. July was the hottest month ever recorded, our oceans are acidifying, and the Gulf of Maine is warming at a rate 99% faster than any other body of water on the planet. It is imperative that we transition to a100%cleanenergyeconomywithcleanjobs and insulation from the worst impacts of climate change. For our children and grandchildren, we must create systems now that mitigate the effects of the climate crisis for all communities and workers,said Pingree.\r\nAcross the nation, states including Maine are leading the way with ambitious goals to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy. Now, it's time for Congress to set our country on a path toward a lower carbon future that will curb harmful air pollution, create new jobs, and strengthen our communities. Mainers are lucky to have Congresswoman Pingree championing bold climate solutions that will protect our health and the natural resources that support our state's economic growth. We thank her for supporting the 100% Clean Economy Act. Emmie Theberge, Federal Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine.\r\nAs farmers and small business owners, our livelihood literally depends on the weather. We're already being impacted by changing weather patterns and more extreme growing conditions. But it's not just agriculture, it's the whole state, and every sector of Maine's economy that will be affected by climate change. We thank Congresswoman Chellie Pingree for sponsoring the 100% Clean Economy Act. This bill will accelerate our nation's transition to a strong clean energy economy, which will not only address climate change, but build more resilient communities.Melissa Law, Owner, Bumbleroot Organic Farm in Windham\r\nClimate change is a real and present threat to shellfish aquaculture, and to communities that are economically tied to the sea. The evidence is easy to find, in sea level rise, the increased frequency and severity of storms, and worsening of algae and bacteria outbreaks that harm crops. Climate change is also linked to the increasing acidification of the oceans, imperiling the livelihoods of all who harvest shellfish. The 100% Clean Economy Act is a bold, ambitious, and important step towards a solution to the climate crisis. Bill Mook, Owner, Mook Sea Farm in Walpole\r\nInvestments in clean energy are critical to combatting the harmful health effects of air pollution and climate change. Maine has a higher-than-average rate of asthma that is exacerbated by downwind polluting industries. We must deploy every tool we have to accelerate the just transition to a clean energy economy in order to address climate change and protect the health of our communities. Thank you Congresswoman Chellie Pingree for supporting the 100% Clean Economy Act.Rebecca Boulos, Executive Director, Maine Public Health Association\r\nMaine has more than 6,000 lakes and 30,000 miles of rivers and streams. Clean, healthy waterways are vital to our day-to-day lives and our economy, generating $4 billion for Maine's economy annually and sustaining 52,000 jobs. While Maine's lakes have some of the highest water quality in the nation, they are at a tipping point as they face on-going declines. Those declines are unlikely to reverse in the face of current climate change impacts. More frequent storms that flush nutrients into lake water, earlier ice outs and warmer water that foster longer growing seasons for algae, and more hospitable conditions for explosions of invasive exotic plants and animals are already on our doorstep. That's why immediate action on climate is so important, and we applaud Congress in taking steps to address climate change. Susan Gallo, Executive Director, Maine Lakes Society\r\nTo ensure the United States acts quickly, the100% Clean Economy Act of 2019directs federal agencies to use all existing authorities to put the United States on a path toward meeting the achievable 100% clean energy economy goal while remaining technology neutral. The legislation directs the EPA to evaluate agency plans, make recommendations to strengthen them as needed, and report each year on progress toward a 100% clean energy economy. The bill also creates an advisory committee, composed of a broad range of stakeholders, to provide recommendations on one or more interim goals.\r\nThe100% Clean Economy Act of 2019lays out principles for federal agency action, including, but not limited to:\r\n \r\n    improving public health, especially for low-income and rural communities, communities of color, Tribal communities, and other vulnerable populations;\r\n    enhancing job creation and ensuring an equitable transition for workers in industries and communities affected by changes in the economy;\r\n    providing benefits for consumers, small businesses, and rural communities; and\r\n    preparing communities for the impacts and risks of climate change. \r\n \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-protect-patient-access-rx-drug", "Golden Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Patient Access to Rx Drug Information, Maine Jobs", "2019-11-20", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  To ensure that rural Americans and seniors continue to have access to important information about their medications, and to protect hundreds of good-paying Maine jobs, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) introduced thePatients' Right to Know Their Medication Act of 2019this week. Republican Congressman Buddy Carter (GA-01) joined Golden to introduce the legislation.\nGolden's bill would require drug manufacturers to include printed inserts containing drug information when they ship their products to pharmacies. Pharmacies often print this information for patients, however they are not required to do so under current law. As a result, some patients never receive important information on the safety, dosage, and other details of their prescriptions with important health consequences because there is no legal requirement to provide them.\nMany Mainers don't have access to online information about their prescription drugs,said Golden.If my constituents don't have reliable broadband, or aren't comfortable using a computer, they still need to have access to potentially life-saving facts about their medications. My bipartisan bill will make sure rural Mainers and seniors have the information they need to use their medication safely and will support hundreds of jobs in our state's forest products industry.\nIn addition to ensuring that all Mainers have important safety information about their prescriptions, the bill would help to protect hundreds of Maine jobs at the Twin Rivers Paper Company's Madawaska Paper Mill. The mill is a leading manufacturer of paper inserts for prescription medication.\nYou can read a copy of the billhere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3173", "Pingree Applauds Historic Committee Approval of Comprehensive Bill Legalizing Marijuana", "2019-11-20", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In response to the news that the House Judiciary Committee voted to pass the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act on a 24-10 bipartisan vote, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement:\r\nToday's vote is a historic step toward setting a federal cannabis policy that works in the 21stcentury.Elevenstates including Maine have already legalized marijuana even thoughit remains illegal underfederallaw. The MORE Act will remove a major hurdle for states by removing marijuana from the Controlled Substances Actlist. It will also provideincentives for this industry to grow and succeed with new grant programs.\r\nI'm especially pleased that this legislation will right the wrongs of the misguided war on drugs' which has for decades disproportionally harmeddisadvantaged communities and communities of color. The MORE Act will reassess marijuana convictions, create programs for restorative justice, and promote equal participation in the legal marijuana industry.\r\nBACKGROUND\r\nSince the 2016 referendum legalizing recreational consumption of marijuana in Maine, Pingree has fought to create clear federal pathways for legalized states. She was an original cosponsor of the MORE Act, as well as theSAFE Banking Act, which would permit federally-insured financial institutions to work with marijuana-related businesses in legalized states. Pingreespoke in support of the SAFE BankingAct before its bipartisan passage in September 2019.\r\nPingree has also fought for justice for Maine's hemp farmers, whose businesses has been at the mercy of unclear federal regulations around hemp sales. She and Congressman Jared Golden (D-Maine)wrote to Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perduein April and October 2019, asking for clarity around federal hemp rules.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-votes-help-maine-businesses-reach-new-markets-abroad-protect-jobs-back", "Golden Votes to Help Maine Businesses Reach New Markets Abroad & Protect Jobs Back Home", "2019-11-15", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Focused on protecting Maine jobs and helping businesses succeed, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) voted today to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank (EXIM) and address significant problems that have held the agency back from growing exports of American-made products and supporting thousands of American jobs.\nEXIM helps fill gaps in private financing for American goods and services being sold abroad. The agency offers loan guarantees, insurance, access to capital, and buyer financing for American businesses that face unfair competition from heavily-subsidized foreign businesses or are unable to access export financing from private sources. Maine companies, almost entirely small businesses, have used the agency's services to export $36 million of goods in the last five years.\nExpanding to new markets is one of the best ways for many businesses in our state to grow and add new jobs,said Congressman Golden.The Export-Import Bank helps create those expansion opportunities, providing critical services that many companies need to export their Made in America' products and compete on a fair playing field against foreign companies. The bill I voted to pass through the House today will allow the agency to serve more small businesses and protect more jobs. The legislation will also prevent Congress from playing politics with the agency, changing the rules governing EXIM so that it can't be held hostage by Washington in-fighting.\nThe legislation Golden voted for would address a problem within the rules of the Export-Import Bank that have hobbled the agency since 2015. Without a quorum on its board of directors, EXIM cannot approve the services it provides to American businesses. For years, partisan Members of Congress blocked nominations to fill empty seats on the EXIM board, preventing the agency from approving$40 billion of transactions that would have supported 250,000 American jobs.The bill passed by the House today provides a process for EXIM to continue to perform its functions even if its board does not have a quorum.\nMaine businesses were supportive of the legislation:\nFrom large employers like GE to small, family-owned businesses, Maine manufacturers need tools to help them compete, succeed in today's global marketplace, and provide more good jobs to Mainers. Congressman Golden gets it, as demonstrated by his support for the US Export Import Bank today. We look forward to continuing to work with him to make long term reauthorization a reality. Eric Anderson, Plant Manager, GE Power Bangor\nMy company has benefited greatly from EXIM's export insurance, which helps us ship product outside of the US. We are now able to sell to foreign customers the same way we sell to customers here at home. With EXIM's help, we are a small company that now sells throughout the world  over 30 countries and counting! I'm glad to see Congressman Golden backing this important bill to support Maine small businesses like ours! Kathie Leonard, President/CEO, Auburn Manufacturing Co.\nThe bill would also increase the financing EXIM can offer to American companies by 30%, raise the level of financing the agency devotes specifically to small businesses, and rename Ex-Im the United States Export Finance Agency.\nThe legislation has the support of the AFL-CIO, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3172", "Collins, King, Pingree Push U.S. Trade Representative on EU Tariff Relief for Lobster Industry", "2019-11-15", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) and Representative Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) urged U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer to continue to prioritize a trade deal with the European Union (E.U.) that would reduce or eliminate E.U. tariffs on Maine lobster. Collins, King, and Pingree have repeatedly pressed the USTR to prioritize lobster in trade negotiations, as the U.S. industry has been adversely impacted by several international trade policies. In response to their advocacy, the USTR has identified lobster tariffs as a key priority for U.S. negotiators. In a recent letter to Amb. Lighthizer, European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrm opted against a U.S. request to reduce tariffs on the product as part of a limited trade deal, preferring to strike a wider agreement. In the letter, the members thank Lighthizer for his efforts and press him to continue his work to reach a deal that opens new markets for Maine's lobster industry.\r\nAs we stressed to you previously, the current eight percent E.U. tariff on live American lobster puts the Maine lobster industry at a significant competitive disadvantage compared to its Canadian competitor, which enjoys tariff-free access to the E.U. market under the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).write Collins, King, and Pingree.Having all but lost the large and growing Chinese export market due to retaliatory Chinese tariffs on American lobster, Maine lobster producers and dealers must find new customers for our state's most iconic product. European buyers would undoubtedly purchase more Maine lobster if, like Canadian lobster, our product entered the E.U. tariff-free.\r\nWe urge you to continue to strive for the elimination of the E.U. tariff on Maine lobster. Our fishermen and dealers deserve tariff-free access to the European market, and we look forward to continuing our work with you to achieve that goal.\r\nCollins, King, and Pingree have repeatedly stood with the lobster industry, which currently faces a number of serious threats including the ongoing trade war with China andpotential federal regulationsassociated with the ongoing North Atlantic right whale take reduction effort.In a February letter, Collins, King, Pingree, and Congressman Jared Golden (D-Maine), asked the USTR to prioritize lobster in negotiations, noting that live lobster exports to China dropped by 64% in the first month after the retaliatory tariffs were imposed. The Maine delegation has also pressed for the Administration to offer funding tohelp the lobster industry access new markets, and toprovide tariff reliefto members ofthe lobster industry affected by the ongoing trade war with China  much as American farmers received government support to mitigate negative effects of the China trade war.\r\nThe full letter can be downloadedHEREor read below.\r\n+++\r\nDear Ambassador Lighthizer:\r\nWe appreciate your continued advocacy for tariff relief on American lobster in your ongoing trade negotiations with the European Union, as indicated by recent your correspondence with European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrm. Eliminating the E.U. tariff on American lobster would expand a valuable market for Maine lobster producers and dealers.\r\nAs we stressed to you previously, the current eight percent E.U. tariff on live American lobster puts the Maine lobster industry at a significant competitive disadvantage compared to its Canadian competitor, which enjoys tariff-free access to the E.U. market under the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). The Canadian industry is poised to reap even greater benefits when the E.U. tariffs on frozen and processed lobster are phased out under CETA, while tariffs ranging from 16 to 20 percent remain on frozen and processed American lobster. Having all but lost the large and growing Chinese export market due to retaliatory Chinese tariffs on American lobster, Maine lobster producers and dealers must find new customers for our state's most iconic product. European buyers would undoubtedly purchase more Maine lobster if, like Canadian lobster, our product entered the E.U. tariff-free.\r\nCommissioner Malmstrm indicated in her November 6 to you that the E.U. could certainly address your concerns about E.U. tariffs on products such as lobster, but that given the WTO constraints on bilateral preferences, this should be as part of a wider agreement. While we understand the need for a wider agreement on U.S-E.U. trade, we believe that securing a deal with the E.U. that immediately eliminates E.U. tariffs on Maine lobster should remain a priority.\r\nWe urge you to continue to strive for the elimination of the E.U. tariff on Maine lobster. Our fishermen and dealers deserve tariff-free access to the European market, and we look forward to continuing our work with you to achieve that goal.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3171", "Members of Northern New England Congressional Delegations Call on Customs and Border Patrol to Disclose Criteria & Effectiveness of Highway Checkpoints", "2019-11-14", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Yesterday, Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) sent a letter to the Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) with Representatives Chris Pappas (D-NH1), Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH2), Peter Welch (D-VT At-Large) and Chellie Pingree (D-ME1), calling on the agency to provide information on the use of temporary highway checkpoints in northern New England over the past year. In the letter addressed to Acting CBP Commissioner Mark Morgan, the group questioned whether the lack of arrests stemming from the random stops of vehicles on local highways warranted the harmful economic impact and inconvenience to travelers in the region.\r\nThe members cited an instance on I-93 near Woodstock, New Hampshire during Laconia Motorcycle Week, which did not result in any arrests but caused significant traffic delays in the region, as well as similar occurrences in Lebanon, New Hampshire and in South Hero, Vermont.\r\nTheir letter states, Ensuring that we maintain effective security along our Northern border is a top priority, and we continue to work to secure needed investments in border security operations and technology. We also recognize the difficult job CBP personnel face in enforcing our nation's immigration laws, which are in desperate need of reform. Given our current challenges, our border protection resources must be used strategically and effectively. We have a number of questions regarding the agency's policies and processes for the implementation of these activities, with a particular focus on temporary highway checkpoints and the consideration of community and economic impact.\r\nThe delegation closed their letter with a series of questions for CBP to respond to and detail justification for the checkpoints.\r\nThe full text of the letter is availablehere.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-wraps-busy-work-period-aroostook-penobscot-counties", "Golden Wraps Up Busy Work Period in Aroostook, Penobscot Counties", "2019-11-13", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "BANGOR  Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) travelled throughout Aroostook and Penobscot Counties last week and over the weekend meeting with his constituents and staying connected to communities across the Second District.\nThe congressman began his week with a tour of the Emergency Department at St. Joseph's Hospital in Bangor. Among the topics Golden and the hospital leaders discussed were obstacles the facility faced in offering telemedicine services, particularly the lower reimbursement rate for telemedicine. Golden is a cosponsor of the Mental Health Telemedicine Expansion Act, a bill that would help many providers expand their mental health telemedicine offerings to Medicare patients.\nLater that day, the congressman visited GE Power in Bangor to tour the operation with Plant Manager Eric Anderson. He met workers and managers at the plant and learned about their work to build turbines capable of bringing power to more than a million homes. This week, Golden plans to support legislation to reauthorize and improve the Export-Import Bank, which has provided critical services to GE Power Bangor.\nGolden met with Pottle's Transportation, a trucking and transportation company with a location in Hermon, on Tuesday afternoon. Golden discussed with the truckers the challenges facing the trucking industry, including workforce shortages. The congressman is a cosponsor of the DRIVE SAFE Act, a bill that would remove obstacles for young Mainers to pursue careers in trucking. While in Hermon, he dropped by Hermon High School to meet with Maine Secondary School Principal of the year, Brian Walsh. Principal Walsh is working to develop a new program to provide his students with a pathway to a commercial driver's license.\nTuesday evening brought Golden to Trenton, where he addressed the Downeast Community Partners annual meeting and answered questions from employees and stakeholders. Downeast Community Partners works to protect vulnerable Mainers in both Hancock and Washington Counties by working to improve quality of life, access to services, and opportunities for good jobs.\nThe congressman spent Wednesday in Orono at the University of Maine. His first stop was the University of Maine Climate Change Institute, where he learned about the impressive tools they've developed to predict the effects of climate change in the Gulf of Maine. The technology could be critical for understanding the implications of climate change on Maine industries.\nLater that day, he joined Professor Mark Brewer's Advanced Theory and Leadership class at the University of Maine and observed the work of UMaine's Cooperative Extension Diagnostic and Research Laboratory to understand the impact of climate change on agricultural pests and how ocean acidification will affect lobsters.\nGolden wrapped up his time in Orono with a visit to Cerahelix, a small business that has developed some of the world's most innovative water filters using DNA-based nanofiltration.\nGolden spent Veterans Day weekend in Aroostook County, beginning with a flag retirement and flag raising ceremony by the Student Veterans Association at the University of Maine Fort Kent. At the ceremony, Golden presented a new flag his office had directed be flown over the U.S. Capitol. He also joined American Legion Commander Matthew Jabaut and Siiri Mahonen in the laying of the wreath.\nThe Congressman then stopped by two veteran-owned businesses in Fort Kent: Crossings, a recently reopened business which put on a lunch with the University of Maine at Fort Kent Chapter of Student Veterans of America, and the Sears Hometown Store, a business that has been assisted by the local Maine Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in Fort Kent. They discussed some of the challenges of running a small business in Northern Maine. Last month, Golden passed a bill through the House that would reauthorize and expand the SBDC program nationally.\nAfter spending time in the Allagash with state Sen. Troy Jackson and his family, Golden stopped in Wallagrass to discuss labor and health care issues with loggers. The congressman closed out his time in Aroostook County in Caribou for Veterans Day. He joined veterans, their families, and community members at the Northern Maine Veterans Cemetery on a frigid Monday morning to pay their respects to Maine veterans. Golden delivered remarks and chatted with local veterans at the event.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-releases-cmp-transmission-line-documents-obtained-army-corps", "Golden Releases CMP Transmission Line Documents Obtained from Army Corps", "2019-11-06", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Download the documents here\nWASHINGTON  Following the announcement of a public hearing on Central Maine Power's New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) project, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has provided Congressman Jared Golden's (ME-02) office with 600 pages of documents relating to the CMP transmission line. Golden, who has called for increased transparency in the review process for the CMP project, requested the release of the documents in a letter to USACE last month.\nThe documents contain Central Maine Power's (CMP) amended application and supporting documents for the project's Clean Water Act permit. The application was amended in response to comments and information requests from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and USACE.\nA PDF of the documents provided to Congressman Golden can be downloadedhere.\nThe public notice for the USACE hearing to be held in December in Lewiston can be foundhere.\nCongressman Golden's original letter to USACE can be foundhere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-s-letter-army-corps-engineers-yields-public-hearing-cmp-line-release", "Golden\u2019s Letter to Army Corps of Engineers Yields Public Hearing on CMP Line, Release of Documents", "2019-11-01", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Following anOctober 16th letterfrom Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) concerning a lack of transparency and opportunity for public input for Central Maine Power Company's New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) project, the USACE has announceda public hearingto be held on December 5th in Lewiston.\nGolden pressed USACE for the hearing, citing the precedent of public hearings held for similar projects in New Hampshire and Vermont. He also called for the release of additional documents requested by the EPA from Central Maine Power and the USACE. USACE has committed to providing those documents to Golden's office, which will in turn make them available to the public when they are received.\nMainers deserve to be heard, especially when it comes to big energy projects like CMP's NECEC transmission line. This needs to be an open and transparent process,said Golden.That's why I asked the Army Corps for a public hearing on the CMP line and the release of important documents that are informing the agency's decision-making. I applaud the Army Corps for their decision today and I'm pleased that Maine people will have a chance to give their input publically.\nThe hearing will be held on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019 at the Ramada Inn & Conference Center at 490 Pleasant Street in Lewiston, Maine. Hearing registration will start at 4 p.m. The formal public hearing will start at 4:30 p.m. There will also be a public information session starting at 4 p.m, which will allow the public to ask questions and obtain information about particular aspects of the project from the project proponent, as well as obtain information from USACE about the permit evaluation process.\nRead Congressman Golden's October 16th letter to USACEhere.\nRead the public notice of the hearing from USACEhere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3169", "Pingree Announces Ocean Renewable Power Company to Receive $3.8 Million for Renewable Innovation", "2019-11-01", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) is awarding Ocean Renewable Power Company of Portland with a grant of $3,875,859 to develop innovative hydropower technology. The company will develop hydropower turbines that fit the specific constraints of rivers.\r\nRenewable energy is the key to a clean future for our children and grandchildren, and Maine has huge potential to lead clean energy innovationboth in wind and tidal power, said Pingree.I'm thrilled to see Ocean Renewable Power Company receivethis grant, which will help support Maine's position as a leader on tidal power, and will spur job growth in Maine.\r\nThis award will facilitate additional product innovation in ORPC's power systems that will enable our company to enter more markets and assist more customers with an economically feasible, no-carbon, renewable energy solution,said John Ferland, ORPC President.The Department of Energy's funding award process is competitively rigorous, and we are honored that the agency selected our proposal.\r\nThe grant funding will be used to modify their turbine design and equipmentto facilitate hydrokinetic infrastructure building, makingit more useful in remote, diverse markets and communities like those found across the state of Maine. Their new technology would help utilize tidal power and water flow to create renewable, carbon-free electricity.\r\nOcean Renewable Power Company invests heavily in rural communities, and since 2010 has brought more than $35 million into Maine by employing local tradespeople, engineers, and other necessary support staff in places like Portland, Eastport, and Lubec. Ocean Renewable Power invests in rural places were the power is generally supplied by a diesel fueled system to better serve the populations, thereby creating affordable, clean, carbon-free energy production.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-statement-vote-establish-process-public-phase-impeachment-inquiry", "Golden Statement on Vote to Establish Process for Public Phase of Impeachment Inquiry", "2019-10-30", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) released a statement today in advance of Thursday's vote on H. Res. 660, which establishes the procedures for the public phase of the House impeachment inquiry:\n\nSince we learned of the Intelligence Community whistleblower complaint, I have repeatedly said that the House must engage in a process that instills public trust and establishes the facts before considering the possibility of impeachment. While I disagreed with the initial decision to open the impeachment inquiry, it is clear that the investigation has confirmed information contained in the whistleblower complaint. For the good of our country and the public's understanding of the process, this investigation should no longer continue solely in a closed setting.\n\nTomorrow, I'll vote to open up the House investigation to the American people. The resolution before the House outlines a fair, public process that protects the rights of the president and the minority party, allows the public release of the transcripts of witness depositions, and provides for the public testimony of witnesses before the Intelligence Committee. To vote no tomorrow would be to oppose these protections  that the president and Republicans themselves requested  and to condone the continuation of this investigation solely through closed depositions without public testimony.\n\nI came to Congress to get things done for Maine, not to investigate the president. But a whistleblower has brought forward credible allegations, and I have a solemn duty to follow the facts where they lead. At this juncture, opening up this investigation to the American people and providing for a fair, transparent process is the best way I see to fulfill that duty. My vote tomorrow does not indicate that I am in favor of impeaching the president. As I've said from the beginning, I will continue to treat these allegations with the gravity they deserve, and I refuse to prejudge the outcome. While the investigation continues, I will remain committed to the work the people of my state sent me to Congress to do.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-legislation-help-seniors-engage-young-people-passes-house", "Golden Legislation to Help Seniors Engage with Young People Passes House", "2019-10-29", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Jared Golden's (ME-02) bipartisan legislation to build connections between seniors and young people passed the House of Representatives this week. The billexpands an important grant program that provides funds to states and community organizations to build bonds between young people and seniors. The grants would, for example, support programs that offer seniors the chance to mentor young people, help seniors to volunteer for organizations that work with kids, and encourage partnerships between day care centers and senior care centers.\nGolden's legislation passed the House as part of the Dignity in Aging Act with unanimous bipartisan support.\nThe seniors I meet travelling around Maine are a wealth of knowledge. These folks have entire lifetimes of valuable wisdom and guidance to offer our kids and young adults,said Golden.This bill would help ensure that their knowledge is handed down and forms the lasting bonds that will keep the next generation of Mainers in the state. We worked across the aisle to pass this bill through the House as part of the Dignity in Aging Act and we'll keep pushing to get it to the president's desk.\nThe legislation provides federal resources to states and local community organizations - like Area Agencies on Aging and YMCAs - to bring seniors and young people together.\nCentral Maine's Spectrum Generations, Generations United, and the YMCA of the USA have all expressed their support for Golden's legislation.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-young-s-bipartisan-bill-protect-maine-fishermen-headed-house-floor", "Golden, Young\u2019s Bipartisan Bill to Protect Maine Fishermen Headed for House Floor", "2019-10-29", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Jared Golden's (ME-02) bipartisan bill to help keep fishermen and lobstermen safe on the job overwhelmingly passed through the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today. The bill, introduced with Republican Congressman Don Young (AK-At Large), will now head to the House floor.\nFishermen and lobstermen have one of the most dangerous jobs in America,said Golden.The FISH SAFE act helps local organizations offer programs that ensure fishermen can do their jobs safely and return to their families at the end of each day. This bill passed with strong, unanimous bipartisan support today, paving the way for passage in the House and strong showing in the Senate.\nTheFunding Instruction for Safety, Health and Security Avoids Fishing Emergencies Act,or FISH SAFE Act, supports Maine fishermen by increasing federal investments in grants that fund fishing safety training and research programming. This funding was reduced in 2018, leaving some fishermen unable to afford the higher costs of these critical programs. Golden and Young's bill restores the funding to its previous levels and reauthorizes the programs through 2021.\nThe Maine Coast Fisheries Association, the Maine Lobstermen's Association, and the IAMAW Maine Lobstering Union Local 207 have all expressed their support for the bill.\nIf you'd like to learn more about the FISH SAFE Act:\nYou can read Congressman Golden's previous releasehere.\nYou can read the text of the billhere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-discusses-jobs-economic-development-loggers-lobstermen-local-leaders", "Golden Discusses Jobs, Economic Development with Loggers, Lobstermen, Local Leaders in Washington County", "2019-10-28", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) spent a busy weekend in Washington and Penobscot Counties, making stops in Baileyville, Jonesport, Machias and Pembroke to tour mills, celebrate Maine's Forest Products Industry Week, meet with constituents, and celebrate the more than 2,000 people who gained access to high-speed broadband in Baileyville and Calais.\nGolden started his weekend in Penobscot County, speaking at the AFL-CIO Biennial Convention Dinner in Bangor. The dinner honored Maine loggers from the New England Loggers Cooperative, employees from Preble Street, Rep. Tina Riley, and Eastern Maine Labor Council President Emery Deabay. Golden discussed his work in Congress to support the rights of workers to engage in collective bargaining.\nFrom Friday on, Golden was in Washington County. He began his Friday with a tour of St. Croix Tissue in Baileyville, followed by a tour of Pembroke Lumber Company in Pembroke. Golden has put a high priority on working with Maine's heritage industries, like the forest products industry, to help them succeed and prepare for the future. He has travelled throughout the state visiting loggers, mills, and lumber yards to learn the industry and identify ways he can help it grow.\nGolden then joined Downeast Broadband Utility's ribbon-cutting for Pioneer Broadband's new broadband service in Baileyville and Calais. The new service will allow more than 2,000 local residents to access high-speed internet. Downeast Broadband Utility was one of the broadband providers Golden heard from during the congressional field hearing he brought to Machias last month.\nAfterwards, Golden met with Family Futures Downeast to discuss the important services they provide for local parents attending school. Their first-in-the-nation program ensures that parents and kids have the resources they need to make ends meet while they pursue a more successful career path. Family Futures Downeast combines private funding with federal and state funding to support families in need, regardless of their month-to-month income, with transportation, technology, educational, career and social support.\nAt a bustling Harvest Dinner at the Pellon Center with Community Caring Collaborative and their partners, Congressman Golden met dozens of spooky trick-or-treaters, selected one lucky door-prize winner, and served up squash and zucchini to attendees.\nOn Saturday, Golden was up bright and early to join Dana Beal and Mike Yohe on a lobster boat ride. On their ride they discussed challenges facing Maine's fishing community, including a lower lobster catch so far this year. Golden's bipartisan bill the FISH SAFE Act was introduced this month. The bill would help provide safety training and research programs to Maine's fishermen and lobstermen.\nGolden capped off his weekend in Machias, joining local community members at Helen's restaurant for lunch. At lunch, Golden was joined by a local leaders working to reinvigorate Machias and develop its economy. The attendees discussed their plans to invest in Machias and make sure the community is looking to the future.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3167", "Pingree, Golden Urge Agriculture Secretary to Protect Farmers, Expedite Hemp Rules", "2019-10-28", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Responding to news reports that Maine hemp farmers have lost access to federal banking and insurance due to opaque regulations, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01) and Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) have written to Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and urged him to expedite the review process and establish hemp rules as required by theAgriculture Improvement Act of 2018.This  letter is the second appeal made by Maine's US Representatives in the last six months seeking clarity around federal hemp rules. Read their April letter here.\r\nHemp is a growing industry in Maine, where 167 new hemp growing licenses were issued this year alone. In 2016, that number was just two. Hemp offers new economic opportunities for Maine farmers, but those opportunities are being stifled by a lack of regulatory clarity and support.\r\nUnfortunately, the continued uncertainty around hemp regulations is indeed negatively impacting hemp farmers and businesses in Maine,wrote Pingree and Golden.For example, a Maine hemp farmer recently received notice of bank account closure as well as notice that the farm's insurance policy would not be renewed, because the farm is growing hemp.\r\nThe ruleswould help to protect small Maine hemp growers by establishing regulations that can guide bankers and insurance companies, who are dropping them as clients because of regulatory uncertainty.\r\nWe respectfully ask that you expedite the interim final rule on hemp so that this growing industry is not further stifled by regulatory uncertainty,the members continued.\r\nYou can read the April letterhere, and the newest letterhere.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-introduces-bill-help-seniors-build-community-engage-young-mainers", "Golden Introduces Bill to Help Seniors Build Community, Engage Young Mainers", "2019-10-25", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  With Maine's over-65 population expected to exceed its under-19 population next year, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) introduced new legislation, theMultigenerational Engagement Act,this week that would expand opportunities for seniors to connect with young people. The bipartisan bill, which Golden introduced with Republican Congressman Ron Wright (TX-06), makes federal resources available to states, Area Agencies on Aging, and community organizations such as YMCAs to provide programs that facilitate engagement across generations. The bill would better enable seniors to volunteer with young people, fill mentorship roles, and otherwise connect with youth populations.\nMaine is the oldest state in the nation, and seniors are the anchors of most communities here,said Golden.When seniors are engaged, especially with young people, everyone wins. By improving opportunities for elder Mainers to pass on their wisdom to the next generation, we can keep seniors healthy, build strong bonds in communities across our state, and ensure important lessons are passed onto Maine kids. I'm proud to work across the aisle on the Multigenerational Engagement Act today.\nSpectrum Generations  the Central Maine Area Agency on Aging  is excited to support Representative Golden's efforts in expanding funding opportunities for multigenerational programming. The programs this implementation will potentially support provides fun for everyone involved, no matter their age, aiding in positive outlooks and increasing social engagement. We believe that the future of aging in our nation, and the State of Maine, will be dependent upon creating and fostering the connections between generations  and this is an excellent step. Spectrum Generations\nGolden's bill is designed in part to help fight an increasing threat seniors are facing in Maine and across the country: isolation. Isolation, a condition in which seniors find themselves increasingly cut off from social interaction and their communities, has been linked to higher mortality rates, as well as physical and mental health risks. For Maine, a state with many of its 275,000 seniors living in rural communities, the impacts of social isolation may be particularly severe.\nTheMultigenerational Engagement Actwould expand a program under the Older Americans Act that promotes multigenerational services and civic engagement. Currently, the program is limited to providing grants to promote technical assistance for these efforts. This legislation would broaden the program to support implementation of programs that engage both seniors and young people, such as nutrition programs, mentorship programs, foster and kinship care programs, and co-located child day care and senior long-term care facilities. The legislation has the support of Central Maine's Spectrum Generations, Generations United and the YMCA of the USA.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-votes-protect-american-elections-foreign-interference", "Golden Votes to Protect American Elections from Foreign Interference", "2019-10-24", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  To defend American elections from foreign money and influence, put a stop to the spreading of campaign disinformation, and prevent interference with voter registration, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) helped pass the SHIELD Act through the House today. Golden is a cosponsor of the bill.\nWe should all agree that foreign countries should not be allowed to interfere in American elections. Trust in our elections and their integrity is key for our democracy to succeed,said Golden.After the documented foreign interference in the 2016 election, America needs to defend itself. The SHIELD Act closes loopholes that foreign entities exploit to gain influence, shines a light on shady political advertising, and makes clear that no American can accept assistance from a foreign government. We're working across the aisle to make sure that Mainers can trust that it's themselves, their friends, and their neighbors - not a foreign government - who elect their leaders.\n\"Protecting our elections from foreign interference is an essential task for our leaders. It must not be a partisan agenda. The SHIELD Act is the kind of legislation we need. It will make critical fixes to our laws and add new protections to fight foreign influence in our democracy. Anna Kellar, Executive Director, Maine Citizens for Clean Elections\nAmong other provisions, the SHIELD Act would:\n \nRequire that campaigns disclose contact with a foreign agent to both the FBI and the FEC;\n\tStrengthen rules and reporting requirements surrounding online advertising by campaigns;\n\tClose loopholes that have allowed foreign nationals to spend in American elections;\n\tStop campaigns from communicating any non-public campaign informationlike polling or opposition researchto foreign agents, and;\n\tStop campaigns from spreading disinformation or otherwise knowingly interfering with voter registration.\n \nGolden has supported numerous bills to help strengthen American election infrastructure and make sure that Maine voters are protected from any kind of election interference. Earlier this year, Golden backed the SAFE Act, which focused on protecting election infrastructure - including both paper ballots and electronic voting systems. He is also a cosponsor of HR1, the For the People Act. The bill, the first comprehensive democracy reform and election security legislation in decades, passed the House earlier this year.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-backs-bill-lower-prescription-drug-prices-cap-costs-seniors", "Golden Backs Bill to Lower Prescription Drug Prices, Cap Costs for Seniors", "2019-10-23", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Following a tele-town hall last week with Maine seniors focused on the rising cost of prescription drugs, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) announced today his cosponsorship of legislation that would lower health care costs by driving down prescription drug prices. Golden signed on to H.R. 3, theLower Drug Costs Now Act, which would cap the out-of-pocket costs paid by Maine seniors for their prescription drugs every year, limit price increases for many drugs covered by Medicare to the inflation rate, as well as allow the Medicare program to negotiate down the prices of many high-cost medications.The price negotiation provision of the bill is projected tosave taxpayers over $345 billion and American families $158 billionover ten years.\nNearly half the seniors I heard from last week had chosen not to fill a prescription because of the cost, or knew someone who had,said Golden.Prescription drug companies are forcing many Mainers, particularly seniors, to make this impossible choice every time they go to the pharmacy. By capping out-of-pocket costs for seniors' prescription drugs and allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prices for millions of Americans, theLower Drug Costs Now Actwould stand up to the power of pharmaceutical companies and lower health care costs for thousands of Mainers across our state.\nGolden has prioritized lowering the cost of prescription drugs to make health care more affordable for Maine families. Earlier this year heintroduced the FLAT Prices Act to punish drug companies who unnecessarily spike the prices of their drugs,co-sponsored theSafe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Actto allow for importation of certain medications from Canada, andled a bipartisan group of Representatives to condemn playing partisan politics with Americans' health care.\nThis week, Golden also held atele-town hall with AARPto speak with Maine seniors from Belfast, Hampden, Livermore, Madison, Orrington, Presque Isle and Sabattus about the challenges they've faced as costs have spiked. During the town hall, nearly half of callers reported they themselves, or someone they knew, had chosen not to fill a prescription because it was too expensive. After speaking with Gordon, from Presque Isle, about insulin prices, Golden cited the value of H.R. 3 for Maine seniors struggling to afford health care.\nYou can listen to Golden's tele-town hallhere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3163", "Pingree Joins 68 Members of Congress in Urging NDAA Conference Committee to Include PFAS Cleanup Provisions", "2019-10-23", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In a bipartisan letter, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) joined Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and 67 other members of congress to urge the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Conference Committee to include strong cleanup provisions for per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) chemical contamination in the FY2020 NDAA.\r\nIn the FY2020 NDAA, we have the opportunity to take serious action and accelerate the clean-up process where PFAS contamination exists,wrote the Representatives.While we remain open to good faith negotiations and finding common ground, this must be taken seriously. The health of all Americans, our servicemembers, and the environment, now and for future generations, is at stake.\r\nMeaningful PFAS provisions were adopted in both the House and Senate authorization bills that we should be able to find common ground on. We cannot, in good conscience, however, support a defense authorization that fails to significantly address ongoing and legacy contamination from PFAS chemicals.\r\nA copy of the letter can be foundhere.\r\nPingree has long been a vocal advocate for the cleanup and regulation of PFAS chemicals, commonly known as forever chemicals. Pingree serves as the Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, where she oversees the NEA and arts funding. On this committee, she helped tosecure funding for scientific and regulatory workon PFAS in the FY2020 Interior Appropriations bill. Pingree has co-sponsored thePFAS Action Act, to require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to list all PFAS chemicals, including PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and many other chemicals, as hazardous substances under theSuperfundclean-up program within one year.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3165", "Pingree Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Recognize Cold War Veterans with Service Medal", "2019-10-23", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), along with Representatives David McKinley (R-WV), Brian Higgins (D-NY) and Kathleen Rice (D-NY) today introduced H.R. 4807, the bipartisan Cold War Service Medal Act. The legislation would recognize veterans who served in the Cold War with medals for their distinguished service. Cold War veterans do not currently have a service medal, unlike veterans who've served in other American military conflicts such as Vietnam or Iraq.\r\nCold War veterans stepped up to defend the United States at a time when our nation faced imminentdanger and they deserve full recognition for their service,said Congresswoman Pingree.For more than four decades, members of our military managed to de-escalate conflicts and threats from the Soviet Union to allow us to live in peace at home. We owe a debt of gratitude to those who kept us safe from the threat of nuclear war and it's only right that we acknowledge their service as equally to our other conflict veterans.\r\nCold War veterans put their lives on the line in defense of our country, and they deserve to be recognized for their service and sacrifice. For decades, these servicemembers worked tirelessly to ensure our nation's safety and to thwart emerging threat abroad. We owe them and their families a debt of gratitude and I'm proud to support legislation that will grant them the recognition they have earned, saidCongresswoman Rice.\r\nCongressman Brian Higgins said, Cold War veterans have not been appropriately recognized for their service during this conflict era. I am thankful that Veterans in my district brought this injustice to my attention and am pleased to join Congresswoman Pingree in supporting this effort to formally honor the service of these veterans.\r\nPingreehas cosponsored this bill since her first term in Congress, and has beeninspired by Maine veteran Peggy Dunlap of Waterboro. Dunlap served in the U.S. Army from 1977 to 1987, retiring as Staff Sergeant who worked on communications systems in Germany, Florida, South Korea, Egypt, and Honduras. Dunlap received several medals for her service, including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation medal, and the Army Achievement Medal, but no medal exists to recognize the Cold War and those who served during it.\r\nThe Cold War Service Medal Act would authorize a service medal for those in the military between September 1945 and December 1991 who served on active duty for 24 consecutive months during the Cold War; were deployed outside of the continental US for a period of at least 30 days during the Cold War; or were a member of a reserve unit called to active duty to participate in exercises or operations directly related to the Cold War. If the eligible veteran has passed away, next of kin could also receive the medal in their absence.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-s-bipartisan-bill-help-launch-and-grow-maine-small-businesses-passes", "Golden\u2019s Bipartisan Bill to Help Launch and Grow Maine Small Businesses Passes House", "2019-10-21", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Continuing his work to create and protect jobs in Maine by helping small businesses grow, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) successfully passed his bipartisan bill to reauthorize and expand the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program through the House of Representatives today. Golden's legislation supports the work of the 11 SBDC outreach locations in Maine's Second District to provide low- or no-cost business training and advising in areas like business plan development, marketing and sales, e-commerce, and small business strategic planning.The bill passed overwhelmingly, with 375 Members of Congress from both parties supporting the legislation.\nHelping small businesses succeed is the most important thing we can do to protect good jobs in Maine, said Golden. Small Business Development Centers are doing that workin nearly every corner of our state, providing Mainers with the know-how and expertise to start a business or keep it growing. My bill would make more resources available to SBDCs and improve the program to bring the free services they offer to even more small businesses in Maine. I'm proud to lead the effort to pass this common-sense, bipartisan legislation through the House with support from both sides of the aisle.\nGolden's bill, the Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act, was introduced with Republican Congresswoman Auma Aumata Coleman Radewagen (AS-At Large). The legislation reauthorizes the SBDC program and increases the funds available for the program by $40 million to $175 million per year. The legislation also makes important changes to the SBDC program itself, including allowing SBDCs to market their services in their communities and broaden their reach to more small businesses.\nCongressman Golden has heard from Maine small businesses about the importance of SBDCs to the businesses' growth and success.\n\"The Maine SBDC was a big help for my own business, the Bangor Pet Resort. Making sure that SBDCs are able to assist other Mainers who want to start their own small businesses is important to me. Congressman Golden's bill, which would help expand SBDCs and help them serve more Mainers, is a great way to support Maine small business owners and workers. I'm glad to see SBDCs getting the support they need to continue being a resource for us.\" - Sarah Smith, Bangor Pet Resort\nMy work with 207 Entertainment wouldn't be where it is today without both Mr. Raynor Large and the Maine SBDC. Congressman Golden's bill, which would improve the SBDC program and help it grow, is critical to businesspeople like me. The Maine SBDC and Mr. Raynor Large assisted me with my company's business plan, and was integral to my success. This bill would ensure they can continue to help business owners like myself and entrepreneurs expand their businesses here in Maine.\" - Scott Jordan, 207 Entertainment\nThe Maine [SBDC] was a big part of my successful work with Community Caring Clinic. They helped us [add] to our business plan. I'm glad to see Congressman's Golden's bill to improve and expand the SBDC program and continue their work to help businesspeople like me start and grow their businesses in Maine.\" - Abdifatah Ahmed, Community Caring Clinic\nIn 2018, Maine SBDCs provided services to more than 1,500 Maine small businesses, launched 136 new ones, and created or protected more than 800 jobs in the state. Across the country, SBDCs help small businesses get access to resources like business training, business plan development, marketing and sales, strategic planning, and more - all at low to no-cost to the business.\nThe Maine SBDC has offices in Auburn, Bangor, Caribou, Dover-Foxcroft, Ellsworth, Farmington, Fort Kent, Houlton, Machias, Rumford and South Paris, along with additional locations in the First Congressional District.\nFind a list of SBDC success stories in Maine here.\nThe text of the bill can be found here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3162", "Reps. Pingree, Matsui, Bilirakis Introduce Bipartisan Life-Saving Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Bill", "2019-10-21", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), alongside Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) and Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), introduced H.R. 4764, the Timely Reauthorization of Necessary Stem-cell Programs Lends Access to Needed Therapies (TRANSPLANT) Act. This legislation reauthorizes the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program and the National Cord Blood Inventory. Through renewed federal funding for the vital national bone marrow and cord blood registry and coordinating centers, which facilitate bone marrow and cord blood donations, the TRANSPLANT Act ensures the continued provision of lifesaving transplants to treat diseases like blood cancer, sickle cell anemia, and inherited metabolic or immune system disorders. Text of the bill can be foundhere.\r\nEvery year, more than 17,000 people are diagnosed with illnesses where bone marrow and cord blood donations can quite literally save their lives,said Congresswoman Pingree.I'm proud to be a lead sponsor of the TRANSPLANT Act, which will help secure and expand the work being done by the national donor registry and find matches for as many patients as we can.\r\nFor the 1.3 million Americans fighting painful and potentially life-threatening blood cancer or bone marrow disorders, a successful transplant brings hope and a second chance at life,said Congresswoman Matsui.Reauthorizing the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program, the Be a Match' National Registry, and the National Cord Blood Inventory are critical in connecting patients with donors and funding life-saving research to eradicate these devastating diseases. I am proud to introduce the TRANSPLANT Act so we can continue to support patients in need and those willing to give the gift of life.\r\nThis bill is about providing hope to those who are struggling with life-threatening illnesses. This federal program provides critical support in the advancement of research for better treatments and the infrastructure necessary to organize registries which help ensure transplant patients have access to life saving procedures. Its reauthorization is vital, and I hope our colleagues will join us in expediting passage of this important legislation,said Congressman Bilirakis.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-joins-aarp-tele-town-hall-answer-mainers-questions-and-discuss-his-work", "Golden Joins AARP Tele-Town Hall to Answer Mainers\u2019 Questions and Discuss his Work to Combat Rising Rx Drug Costs", "2019-10-17", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Listen to the Tele-Town Hall here\nWASHINGTON  Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) answered questions from Mainers and discussed his work to tackle high prescription drug costs in an AARP tele-town hall this week. The conversation focused on capping rising prescription drug prices and lowering health care costs. Golden heard from seniors in Hampden, Belfast, Orrington, Presque Isle, Madison, Sabattus, and Livermore.\nToday's tele-town hall allowed me to continue to have important conversations with my constituents, including many seniors, about the need to lower the cost of health care and prescription drugs in particular,said Golden.I'll use what I learned today to push my colleagues in Congress to take serious action to attack high prescription drug prices and hold pharmaceutical companies accountable.\nAARP callers spoke about their challenges affording life-saving prescription drugs and voiced their frustrations with the high costs for American patients. Callers were polled about whether they or someone they knew had ever chosen not to fill a prescription because of high costs. Nearly half said yes.\nOne Presque Isle resident, Gordon, spoke about the high cost of his insulin, saying his prescription was more than $200 cheaper just across the border in Canada, despite being made in the United States.\nAmong other actions to combat rising prescription drug prices, Golden has:\n \nIntroduced theFLAT Prices Act,which would provide a long-term solution to big pharma companies unnecessarily spiking their prices on consumers by penalizing price increases greater than 10% over a one-year period, 18% in two years, or 25% in three years.\n\tCosponsored theSafe and Affordable Drugs From Canada Act,which would allow Americans to import safe, more affordable drugs from Canada;\n\tCosponsored theLower Drug Costs Now Act, which would allow Medicare to negotiate lower Rx drug costs for Medicare patients and millions of additional families and children, put a cap on out-of-pocket prescription costs for Medicare beneficiaries, and take additional actions to lower drug costs;\n \nThis tele-town hall is just the latest public event Congressman Golden has participated in to hear directly from Mainers. Since taking office in January, Golden has held dozens of coffee hours, town halls, open houses, and other town meeting events in nearly every county in the Second District, visiting more than 90 Maine towns in the process.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-young-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-bolster-safety-programs-maine", "Golden, Young Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Bolster Safety Programs for Maine Fishermen and Lobstermen", "2019-10-17", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Recognizing that fishing industry jobs are some of the most dangerous in the country, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) and Congressman Don Young (AK-At-Large) introduced the Funding Instruction for Safety Health, and Security Avoids Fishing Emergencies (FISH SAFE) Act today. The FISH SAFE Act is bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would increase the federal funding available for grants to support fishing safety training and research programs.\nI've met too many fishermen and lobstermen who have sustained a serious injury or have had a close call on the job,said Congressman Golden.This bill would make fishing safety programs available to as many fishermen as possible to prevent unnecessary injuries and deaths. My bipartisan bill, introduced with Congressman Young, supports the work that the Maine Coast Fishermen's Association, the Maine Lobstermen's Association, IAMAW Local 207, and other organizations are doing to train fishermen and lobstermen to stay safe on the water.\nFishing is one of Alaska's most important industries, and we need to be doing all that we can to ensure our fishermen remain safe on the job,said Congressman Young.The FISH SAFE Act is an important piece of legislation to provide the resources and training necessary to protect not only Alaska's fishermen, but fishermen across the country. I am proud to partner with Congressman Jared Golden on this critical issue, and look forward to continuing working with my friends on both sides of the aisle to support America's fishermen.\nIn 2018, the federal share of fishing safety training and research grants was reduced to 50 percent from 75 percent, leaving local organizations with higher costs to run these important safety programs. Golden and Young's bipartisan bill raises the federal share of fishing safety training and research grants back up to 75 percent. The FISH SAFE Act would also reauthorize the safety training and research programs for $6,000,000 a year for 2019-2021.\nThe FISH SAFE Act has the support of Maine organizations that advocate for fishermen and lobstermen.\nThe health and safety of fishermen is something we think about every day. Fishermen take a lot of risks every time they leave the dock, so we can't forget that these men and women are family members, friends and neighbors and deserve our support as they deliver seafood to our plates. This past year, the Maine Coast Fishermen's Association invested in life rafts and safety gear to make available to our members so that no one ever has to choose between going fishing or being safe and we are excited that Congressman Golden believes just as strongly as we do about protecting the individuals who make up Maine's fishing industry.- Ben Martens, Executive Director, Maine Coast Fisheries Association\nWhether it's through advocacy, organizing, or education, MLA's mandate is to look out for lobstermen and their communities. There's no doubt that extends to lobstermen's safety on the water. MLA partners with Fishing Partnership Support Services and McMillan Offshore Survival to train lobstermen so they are prepared for the risks they face on the water every day. That's why we're glad to see Congressman Golden and Maine's delegation taking the lead to restore the funding we use to run these programs and prioritize the safety of the Maine lobstering community.- Patrice McCarron, Executive Director, Maine Lobstermen's Association\nLike all IAMAW locals, we believe in training our members and keeping them safe on the job. For IAMAW 207, it's especially important since lobstering is one of the most dangerous jobs out there. Our union has a fully staffed Safety and Health department that travels to job sites for year-round training. This legislation from Congressman Golden will help us offer these programs to lobstermen and continue to put a high priority on the safety and training of our members.- Dave Sullivan, Grand Lodge Representative, International Association of Machinists, Maine Lobstering Union, Local 207\nSimilar legislation was introduced in the Senate by Senators Ed Markey (D-MA) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK). Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) are cosponsors of the Senate legislation.\nFishing is one of the most dangerous professions in the United States, and we need to make sure our fishermen are able to come back to dock every day and return to their families safe and sound,said Senator Markey.This legislation provides our fishing community with the training and resources they need to do their jobs safely today and in the future. I look forward to working with my House and Senate colleagues on a bipartisan basis to include the FISH SAFE Act in the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2019.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3159", "Reps. Pingree, Newhouse, McGovern, Walorski Introduce Bipartisan Resolution to Designate Today as World Food Day", "2019-10-16", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.)co-chairs of the House Food Recovery Caucusas well as Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) and Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.)co-chairs of the House Hunger Caucushave together introduced House Resolution 632,designating today, October 16, 2019, as World Food Day.\r\n\r\nEach year, the United States joins 130 other nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in celebrating World Food Day to promote global awareness and action for those who suffer from chronic hunger.\r\nFor decades, worldwide hunger and malnutrition rates were going down, but that is not the case anymore. We live in a time when 820 million people across the globe do not have enough to eat, yet the rate of food-related diseases have never been higher. In order to address the epidemic before us, we must acknowledge the scale of the problem. That's why I've introduced a bipartisan resolution to designate October 16thas World Food Day,said Congresswoman Chellie Pingree.\r\nAmerican farmers and ranchers work hard every day to feed the world. Agriculture producers in Washington state provide access to high-quality fruit, vegetables, wheat, and wine to our local and international markets, including our partners in the Pacific Rim nations and both North and South America. As we continue to grow and harvest food for the U.S. and countries around the world, we also must continue to lead in agriculture research and share our growing tools and sustainable techniques with underdeveloped and underserved nations in our mission to end world hunger,said Congressman Dan Newhouse.\r\nWe live in a world of abundance, yet hundreds of millions of people do not have enough to eat,said Congressman McGovern.It does not have to be this way. Adequate food ought to be a fundamental human right, and every nation  including the United States  can and must do moreto address the root causes driving global hunger: war, conflict, natural disaster, and climate change. This is a problem that we can solve in our lifetime. We know what needs to be done. TheUnited Nations' Sustainable Development Goal of ending hunger by 2030 is within reach if we work together and act now. A world without hunger is possible in our lifetime  and I am proud to support World Food Day so we can raise awareness, promote action, and build the political will to end hunger once and for all.\r\nHunger and malnutrition affect families and communities around the world, and there is bipartisan agreement that we need to take action to address these issues both at home and abroad. As co-chair of the House Hunger Caucus, I'm honored to support the designation of a World Food Day so we can bring attention to the importance of agriculture and science-based innovations that play a key role in improving nutrition and strengthening health and wellness, said Congresswoman Jackie Walorski.\r\nBackground on Global Hunger and World Food Day\r\nWorldwide, over 820 million peopleone out every nine peoplesuffer from chronic undernourishment, according to FAO's recentState of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2019report.\r\nThe number of undernourished people in the world has been on the rise since 2015 and has reached the levels seen in 2010. Prolonged conflict and extreme weather events are key driving factors reversing the progress made for over a decade. Additionally, many countries experience the double burden of hunger and obesity. Rapidly increasing obesity levels now affect one in eight adults or more than 670 million people in the world, according to FAO.\r\nWorld Food Day 2019 is an important opportunity to emphasize that hunger and obesity can be eradicated in our lifetime by working together. This year's theme calls for an increase in global action to achieve zero hunger: healthy and sustainable diets for a zero hunger world.\r\nTo learn more about World Food Day,visit FAO's World Food Day site.\r\nA full text of the resolution is below.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3160", "Pingree Announces $850,000 in USDA Funds for Boothbay Harbor Sewer District", "2019-10-16", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Pingree Announces $850,000 in USDA Funds for Boothbay Harbor Sewer District \r\n    \r\n     \r\n\r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Washington,\r\n      October 16, 2019\r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n        \r\n           \r\n      \r\n          \r\n      \r\n           \r\n        \r\n      \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is awarding the Boothbay Harbor Sewer District with a grant of $254,000 and a loan of $596,000. The funds will be used to replace and upgrade existing sewer lines for Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay, and Southport.\r\nAs a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I've long advocated for greater federal investment in rural infrastructure because I've seen the positive impact it can have on the communities I represent, said Congresswoman Chellie Pingree. Wastewater treatment is an environmental and public health imperative for cities and towns across Maine. This significant federal funding will ensure Boothbay Harbor's wastewater is handled efficiently and safely for years to come and will help the town to make overdue improvements.\r\nThe funding comes from the USDA's Rural Development program and will be used to replace approximately 2,000 feet of existing sewer line and extend the main approximately 800 feet on Ocean Point Road in Boothbay Harbor. These improvements will address infrastructure and capacity issues and will restore the design capacity of the system. These upgrades, long overdue, will make operations more effective and efficient and help the three towns in the district improve their economic development opportunities.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/over-packed-district-work-period-golden-discusses-broadband-small-businesses", "Over Packed District Work Period, Golden Discusses Broadband with Small Businesses, Housing for Veterans, and Forest Products Innovation at UMaine", "2019-10-14", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "PHILLIPS  Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) wrapped up a packed district schedule in Maine last week, capping two weeks spent back in the Second District meeting with constituents, working with small businesses, and discussing career, education, and housing opportunities for homeless veterans at the Garry Owen House.\nHe began the week with a visit to Phillips Elementary, talking with students, teachers, and administrators and answering their questions. He visited former State Rep. Lance Harvell's 8th grade class for a wide-ranging Q&A session that covered Golden's start in public service, his approach to the dysfunction in Washington and his work to help Maine veterans.\nLater, he spent the afternoon with County Seat Realty owner Jodi Hollingsworth, Bob Carleton, a local forester, and Tania Dawson, a clinical educator at Franklin Memorial Hospital. Representing three very different organizations, they discussed the value of rural broadband access for community businesses and healthcare, and the challenges facing rural Mainers who don't yet have reliable service.\nThe next day, Golden spent the morning touring the Garry Owen House. The Garry Owen House, a transitional house for homeless veterans, provides support for those looking to achieve career, educational, health and housing goals. In the Maine State House, Golden helped lead numerous efforts to support veterans, particularly those experiencing homelessness. Golden's office will be working with a Garry Owen House resident to connect them with services and benefits they've earned.\nHe later joined the Maine Harvest Federal Credit Union for their grand opening. The Maine Harvest Federal Credit Union is the first Maine credit union chartered to service Maine's small farmers. At the event, Golden spoke to the audience about the challenges Maine's more than 7,500 small farms face, and the value of an institution that provides focused financial services specifically for Maine's agricultural community.\nOn Thursday, Congressman Golden attended the University of Maine's Advanced Structures and Composites Center 3D printer unveiling. While at the ceremony, he joined Sen. Collins and King for a ride on a 5,000lb patrol boat, printed in less than 72 hours by what is now considered the world's largest 3D printer. UMaine's goal is to print with materials that are 50% wood, providing new opportunities for Maine's robust forest products industry. The Guinness Book of World Records presented UMaine with three awards at the ceremony for their record-breaking work.\nGolden closed out the week with Bangor High School students in the afternoon, answering their questions on a hike at Chick Hill in Clifton and taking in Maine's famous fall foliage.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3157", "Pingree Announces Two Federal Grants Totaling $637,604 to Cultivating Community", "2019-10-09", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced Cultivating Community in Portland, Maine has been awarded two federal grants. One award of $100,000 from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was granted for a project to build refugee agriculture in Maine; the second award of $537,604 from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program was granted for a project to support socially disadvantaged farmers. Local agriculture is growing rapidly in Maine, and in recent years has become a backbone of our economy. New Mainers have been a key part of that growth,said Pingree.These grants will help Cultivating Community to strengthen Maine's farm economy by including new Mainers and helping them to grow their farms. I'm thankful for the work Cultivating Community does and I'm looking forward to seeing how this USDA funding helps Maine's small farms succeed.\r\n\"New Mainers are generating some of the brightest spots in our communities and in our economy,\"said Cultivating Community Executive Director Craig Lapine.\"That's true generally, and it's true in agriculture. We're grateful to have these resources to lift up, support, and accelerate some of the amazing work being done by New American farmers in Maine.\"\r\n\r\n\"With an aging population of Maine farmers and growing development pressure on farmland throughout the state, we're thrilled to partner with the federal government to animate new pathways for New Mainers to enter our agricultural economy. Many members of Maine's growing refugee and immigrant population bring deep agricultural knowledge here with them, and our local food system only stands to benefit by welcoming new growers into our food and farming community,said Cultivating Community Farmer Training Program Director Alex Redfield.As part of these two funding opportunities, Cultivating Community will be collaborating with the Cooperative Development Institute, New England Farmers of Color, Prosperity Maine and Catholic Charities as partners in improving access to high quality local food, agricultural skills and business development training, and land access for New Mainers.\" Cultivating Community is a nonprofit food justice organization whose work has extended to the refugee and immigrant community in Maine. The group has taught new Mainers about sustainable food practices and has increased access to local, healthy foods through affordable CSA shares, farm stands, and mobile markets. Their work in Cumberland and Androscoggin counties through the New American Sustainable Agriculture Project (NASAP) has established the largest land-based farmer training program in Maine. The funding for Cultivating Community's HHS grant comes from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Pingree, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee, is a longtime advocate for robust ORR funding. Cultivating Community's USDA grant will provide a comprehensive suite of farm business development services to Maine's largest cohort of socially disadvantaged farmersrefugee and immigrant farmers living in greater Lewiston and greater Portland. Funding for this program is set by the Agriculture Committee in the Farm Bill, written every four years. Pingree was a member of the Agriculture Committee from 2009-2012 and regained her seat on the committee in the 116th Congress.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/maine-delegation-announces-16-million-sea-grant-award-umaine-research-atlantic", "Maine Delegation Announces $1.6 Million Sea Grant Award to UMaine for Research on Atlantic Marine Species", "2019-10-04", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "PORTLAND, MAINEU.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) and Representatives Chellie Pingree (ME-01) and Jared Golden (ME-02) today announced the award of $1.6 million from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Sea Grant program to the University of Maine. The grant will fund a research project onHighly Migratory Species in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, which will help to collect data on age, growth, and migratory behavior of tuna and shark species.\nMaine's coastal communities depend on Highly Migratory Species fisheries as an economic engine, sustaining and creating jobs as well as driving coastal tourism and recreation year after year,said Senator Collins. In order to better understand and maintain the health of HMS fisheries, more research is needed. This funding will assist researchers at UMaine as they work with partner institutions to fill the knowledge gaps about the history and biology of HMS fisheries.\nThe Gulf of Maine is an integral part of our state's identity and economy, which is why it is vital that we deepen our understanding of the marine ecosystems it contains  particularly as it is warming faster than 99% of the world's oceanssaid Senator King.This Sea Grant funding will allow researchers at UMaine to conduct important work that will enhance our knowledge of the species that travel through Maine waters, ensuring we have accurate data as we work to mitigate the impact of climate change on our marine economy.\nThere's so much we don't know about what goes on in our oceans, so I'm always excited when researchers have the opportunity to learn more about Maine's waters and species,said Congresswoman Chellie Pingree.This funding from Sea Grant will help us to ensure we understand why and how native Atlantic species migratewhich is especially important as the climate crisis hits the Northern Atlantic and the Gulf of Maine.\nThe University of Maine's innovative research helps support our coastal communities and the Mainers that live and work in those communities. This $1.6 million grant to UMaine through the Sea Grant program will provide important information about the growth and migration of key fish species. Better understanding our fisheries has never been more important as we work with Maine's fishermen and fishing industry to prepare for the future.- Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)\nNOAA's Sea Grant program supports coastal and Great Lakes communities through research, extension, and education in order to create a sustainable economy and environment and promote conservation. The grant was awarded through the 2019 Sea Grant Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Research Initiative and will support the collaboration of researchers from the University of Maine, Nova Southeastern University, Mote Marine Laboratory, and Auburn University. The project has five objectives: HMS Stock Structure and Life History; HMS Bycatch Reduction; Commercial and Recreational Post-Release Mortality; HMS Life Stage Distribution and Habitat; and Offshore Oil Platform Impacts to Biology (Health) and Behavior (Movements) of Yellowfin Tuna.\nSea Grant's funding in the FY2019 appropriations bill directed an HMS research initiative focused on the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. All four members of the Maine delegation advocated for Sea Grant's funding throughoutthe appropriations process.Senator Collins and Congresswoman Pingree serve on theSenate andHouse Appropriations Committees, respectively.In June, Senator Collins co-led aletterin support of UMaine's grant application, which was submitted in collaboration with Auburn University, Mote Marine Laboratory, and Nova Southeastern University.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3155", "Maine Delegation Announces $1.6 Million Sea Grant Award to UMaine for Research on Atlantic Marine Species", "2019-10-04", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) and Representatives Chellie Pingree (ME-01) and Jared Golden (ME-02) today announced the award of $1.6 million from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Sea Grant program to the University of Maine. The grant will fund a research project onHighly Migratory Species in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, which will help to collect data on age, growth, and migratory behavior of tuna and shark species.     \r\nMaine's coastal communities depend on Highly Migratory Species fisheries as an economic engine, sustaining and creating jobs as well as driving coastal tourism and recreation year after year,said Senator Collins. In order to better understand and maintain the health of HMS fisheries, more research is needed. This funding will assist researchers at UMaine as they work with partner institutions to fill the knowledge gaps about the history and biology of HMS fisheries.\r\nThe Gulf of Maine is an integral part of our state's identity and economy, which is why it is vital that we deepen our understanding of the marine ecosystems it contains  particularly as it is warming faster than 99% of the world's oceanssaid Senator King.This Sea Grant funding will allow researchers at UMaine to conduct important work that will enhance our knowledge of the species that travel through Maine waters, ensuring we have accurate data as we work to mitigate the impact of climate change on our marine economy.\r\nThere's so much we don't know about what goes on in our oceans, so I'm always excited when researchers have the opportunity to learn more about Maine's waters and species,said Congresswoman Chellie Pingree.This funding from Sea Grant will help us to ensure we understand why and how native Atlantic species migratewhich is especially important as the climate crisis hits the Northern Atlantic and the Gulf of Maine.\r\nThe University of Maine's innovative research helps support our coastal communities and the Mainers that live and work in those communities. This $1.6 million grant to UMaine through the Sea Grant program will provide important information about the growth and migration of key fish species. Better understanding our fisheries has never been more important as we work with Maine's fishermen and fishing industry to prepare for the future.- Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)\r\nNOAA's Sea Grant program supports coastal and Great Lakes communities through research, extension, and education in order to create a sustainable economy and environment and promote conservation. The grant was awarded through the 2019 Sea Grant Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Research Initiative and will support the collaboration of researchers from the University of Maine, Nova Southeastern University, Mote Marine Laboratory, and Auburn University. The project has five objectives: HMS Stock Structure and Life History; HMS Bycatch Reduction; Commercial and Recreational Post-Release Mortality; HMS Life Stage Distribution and Habitat; and Offshore Oil Platform Impacts to Biology (Health) and Behavior (Movements) of Yellowfin Tuna.\r\nSea Grant's funding in the FY2019 appropriations bill directed an HMS research initiative focused on the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. All four members of the Maine delegation advocated for Sea Grant's funding throughoutthe appropriations process.Senator Collins and Congresswoman Pingree serve on theSenate andHouse Appropriations Committees, respectively.In June, Senator Collins co-led aletterin support of UMaine's grant application, which was submitted in collaboration with Auburn University, Mote Marine Laboratory, and Nova Southeastern University.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-statement-following-release-whistleblower-complaint-and-dni-testimony", "Golden Statement Following Release of the Whistleblower Complaint and DNI Testimony", "2019-09-27", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  After reviewing the redacted version of the Intelligence Community whistleblower complaint, the memorandum of conversation between President Trump and President Zelensky, and the testimony of the Acting Director of National Intelligence before the Intelligence Committee, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) released the following statement:\nEarlier this week, I stated that the next step for the House of Representatives should be to obtain the text of the Intelligence Community whistleblower's complaint, a redacted version of which was made public yesterday morning. I have now read the complaint and the transcript of the president's call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and reviewed the public testimony of the Acting Director of National Intelligence before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.\nAs Americans, we should all take a step back and acknowledge this somber moment for our country. The credible allegations in the whistleblower complaint are too serious to be cheered, rushed, or dismissed out of hand, as many in Washington insist on doing. These issues are some of the most consequential that can come before a Member of Congress. I owe it to my constituents to treat the whistleblower complaint and the allegations it contains with the gravity and sober judgment they deserve. I will have more to say in the coming days as I continue to carefully weigh the information we received this week and consider what I believe to be the best next steps for the House. -Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)\nEarlier this week,Golden called for the release of the whistleblower complaint.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3154", "Pingree Responds to Trump Administrations Decision to Drastically Cut Refugee Admissions", "2019-09-27", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Country of Origin\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            FY16\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            FY17\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            FY18\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            FY19\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            %Change\r\n            FY17-19\r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Afghan\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            40\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            13\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            -97.5%\r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Angolan\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Burmese\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            3\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Burundian\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            20\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Central African\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            6\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Congolese\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            130\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            56\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            50\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            89\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            -31.5%\r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Djibouti\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Eritrean\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            3\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            4\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Ethiopian\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            16\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            21\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            5\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Honduran\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            6\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Iranian\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            6\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Iraqi\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            205\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            77\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            9\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            7\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            -96.5%\r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Kenyan\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            2\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            2\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Pakistani\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Rwandan\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Somali\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            187\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            89\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            9\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            -100%\r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            South African\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            9\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Sudanese\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            9\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            11\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            5\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Syrian\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            75\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            26\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            -98.65%\r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Welsh\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Grand Total\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            675\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            320\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            77\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            131\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            -80.6%", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3152", "VIDEO: Pingree Speaks on Floor as House Passes Landmark Bill to Provide Financial Services to Marijuana Businesses", "2019-09-26", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "VIDEO: Pingree Speaks on Floor as House Passes Landmark Bill to Provide Financial Services to Marijuana Businesses \r\n    \r\n     \r\n\r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Washington,\r\n      September 26, 2019\r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n        \r\n           \r\n      \r\n          \r\n      \r\n           \r\n        \r\n      \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Last night, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) spoke on the US House floor in support of the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act (HR 1595),thefirst legislation approved by the Houseto permit federally-insured financial institutions to work with marijuana-related businesses in states where the sale of cannabis is legal.Pingree is an original cosponsor of HR 1595, which passed with bipartisan support by a 321-103 vote.\r\nIn her floor remarks, Pingree said, Just yesterday, a banker from southern Maine contacted me out of regret.The bank had to close a long-time customer's account when they found out he was a delivery driver for a LEGAL marijuana producer.Due to potential federal liability, the bank lost a customer.The citizen lost his trusted financial institution.Does he have to keep his earnings under a mattress?This makes no sense. The SAFE Banking Act will fix this problem by allowing lenders to legally serve marijuana businesses.It promotes security by ensuring transactions are done through regulated institutions, not with bags of cash.\r\nWatch or download Pingree's floor speechhere.\r\nBACKGROUND\r\nPingree is an original cosponsor of the SAFE Banking Act.As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Pingreeadvocated fora provision in the FY2020 funding bill to accomplish the goals of the SAFE Banking Act and allow marijuana-related businesses to use federally-backed banks and credit unions.This provision was approved by the full House in June, but may not be necessary if the Senate passesHR 1595and is signed into law by the President. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3153", "Pingrees Bill to Preserve Working Waterfronts Advances Through Natural Resources Committee", "2019-09-26", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Yesterday, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree's (D-Maine) bill,H.R. 3596, the Keep America's Waterfronts Working Act, passed through the House Natural Resources Committee on a 22-13 bipartisan vote. The bill was one of ten bills marked up in committee.\r\nMore than 30,000 Mainers make their living from marine-related industries, which are an iconic part of our state's character. However, working waterfronts are extremely vulnerable to development and to climate change,said Pingree.This legislation gives states tools to protect working parts of the coast, preserving our economies and our waters in the same go. I'm thrilled to see the Natural Resources Committee advance the bill on a bipartisan vote, and I look forward to a vote before the entire House.\r\nWorking waterfronts are an integral part of the soul and character of the nation's coasts. In Maine, voters approved a visionary grant program to start protecting working waterfronts because residents and industry value these places and understand their critical role in the economy and culture of the state.Congresswoman Pingreetakes this proven approach to the national level, finally giving states, the federal government and stakeholders the opportunity to work together to identify the highest priority waterfront properties for industry and implement a plan of action to Keep America's Waterfronts Working.Natalie Springuel, Maine Sea Grant\r\nThe working waterfront is an anchor for coastal communities throughout the country but especially here in Maine. They provide a space for commonality, work, and human connection and are the gateway to the healthy sustainable seafood Maine and other American fishermen harvest. It is imperative that we invest in this essential infrastructure to support local food systems, creates good jobs, and protects future opportunities in the blue economy.Monique Coombs, Maine Coast Fishermen's Association\r\nPingree first introduced legislation to protectworkingwaterfrontsin the 111thCongress. Shetestifiedon behalf of the bill before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife on July 25.\r\nPingree's bill seeks to preserve the character of coastal communities by protecting jobs, commercial activities, and public access to America's coast. Water-dependent commercial activities are the economic and cultural heart of many coastal communities. Workingwaterfrontssupport thousands of Maine jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity, but due to development pressures, they have been reduced to just 20 miles of Maine's coastline, which measures over 5,000 miles.\r\nPingree haslong advocated for federal resources to help Maine communitiespreserve and expand shoreline access and infrastructure for water-dependent industries, such as fishing, boat building, and aquaculture.\r\nThe bill is expected to head next to the floor for a full House vote.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-bill-build-success-small-business-development-centers-passes-committee", "Golden Bill to Build on the Success of Small Business Development Centers Passes Committee", "2019-09-25", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) passed a bill to help launch and expand Maine small businesses through the House Small Business Committee today. Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) help Maine small businesses get off the ground and expand their capacity through low- or no-cost business training and advising in areas like business plan development, marketing and sales, e-commerce, and small business strategic planning. Maine has a lead SBDC located at the University of Southern Maine, which operates eleven outreach locations in Maine's Second District.\nGolden's Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act reauthorizes the SBDC program, increases the resources available to the program for the first time in more than a decade, and makes important changes to improve SBDCs. The bill, which was introduced with Congresswoman Auma Aumata Coleman Radewagen (AS-At Large), passed the Small Business Committee unanimously today.\nMainers are self-starters. It's one reason why we have so many small businesses in our state. Small Business Development Centers are key to helping many of these small businesses thrive,said Golden.From Caribou to South Paris, SBDCs are in communities across our state helping family businesses develop business plans, secure financing, and plan their growth. Our bipartisan bill will help bring this program to more Mainers, saving small businesses thousands of dollars and setting them up to grow and create new jobs.\nThe Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act would reauthorize the program for the next three years and would increase funding from the $135 million most recently-authorized level to $175 million through 2023. In addition to funding SBDCs, the bill would strengthen SBDCs ability to raise their own funds and explicitly allow the centers to market their services to small businesses.\n\"We are thankful to Congressman Golden for sponsoring this SBDC reauthorization bill. Reauthorizing the SBDC program will be instrumental in continuing to support entrepreneurs as they start and grow small businesses in Maine and across the country.\" -Mark Delisle, State Director of the Maine Small Business Development Centers.\nThe Maine SBDC has offices in Auburn, Bangor, Caribou, Dover-Foxcroft, Ellsworth, Farmington, Fort Kent, Houlton, Machias, Rumford and South Paris, along with additional locations in the First Congressional District.\nAs the chairman of the House Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Infrastructure, Golden has prioritized the needs of Maine small businesses during his time in Congress. This month, he held a Congressional field-hearing at the University of Maine Machias to support the development of rural broadband, which is critical for the success of many Maine small businesses. He also sponsored the Future Logging Careers Act,which would assist small logging ventures in Maine by allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to help operate family enterprises.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3149", "Pingree Announces $800,000 in Federal Support for Coastal Enterprises, Incs Workforce Development Programming", "2019-09-25", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is awarding Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI) with $800,000 in federal funding. The funding, which is a combination of grant and loan dollars, will fund a program topurchaseequipment, provide working capital, andexpandworkforce trainingin Maine.\r\nCEI invests in businesses and communities that face greater barriers in accessing capitallike the rural or coastal small communities that are the lifeblood of Maine,said Pingree.I've prioritized funding for this programon the Appropriations Committee because I know how impactful it is in creating an economy that works for everyone. This grant will go a long way in making sure employees arewell-trained and paid a living wage, and I thank HHS for the support.\r\nOur Growing Good Jobs in Rural Maine Initiative is designed to meet a need for not any job, but for good jobs that can help people with low incomes receiving public assistance or earning a low wage rise out of poverty and achieve financial self-sufficiency,said CEI President Keith Bisson.We are delighted to have this financial supportto invest inrural small businessesso theycan create positions that pay a living wage, provide career advancement opportunities, and include benefits like health care and paid sick leave. We are grateful to Rep. Chellie Pingree and her staff for their support in this process.\r\nHHS is awarding CEI the funds through the Community Economic Development program. Pingree, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, has long fought to ensure funding for workforce training programs such as those awarded to CEI.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-statement-intelligence-community-whistleblower-complaint-allegations", "Golden Statement on Intelligence Community Whistleblower Complaint Allegations", "2019-09-24", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) released the following statement today in regards to new reports of misconduct contained in an Intelligence Community whistleblower complaint:\nThe willingness of the President to legitimize or even entertain the involvement of foreign entities in domestic affairs is of grave concern. As I stated about the findings of the Mueller investigation, we are seeing in this administration a fundamental failure to put the interests of the country ahead of political gain. I believe it is important to be honest that there has been a growing cancer among the Washington establishment for far too long that has enabled foreign interests to seep into our politics. But to be clear: the president's statements and reported actions raise novel and serious questions about his commitment to putting the good of the country before his own interests. I believe that any leader of this nation, at any level of government, who actively seeks to involve foreign entities in American politics, especially in our campaigns and elections, is betraying the good faith of the American people.\nWe are a nation of laws, and it would be dangerous to ignore the importance of process in making political decisions. Congress has a duty to seek out and carefully examine all of the available evidence before taking action. The more serious the matter at hand, the more important that principle is. A whistleblower complaint has been filed by a member of our nation's Intelligence Community. What we know about its content is primarily based on speculation and anonymous media sources. Congress must acquire all of the facts. That is why Congress must insist upon receiving full access to the whistleblower's complaint.\nThe law is clear: the Acting Director of National Intelligence (ADNI) must forward the whistleblower's complaint to both the House and Senate Intelligence Committees. Intelligence Committee members from both parties must have an opportunity to fully examine the information. The ADNI must also ensure that the whistleblower is protected against retaliation by the White House. This isn't negotiableit's the law. The House of Representatives must take every action necessary to combat this administration's stonewalling of the rule of law. Ensuring that the Intelligence Committees receive the full text of the whistleblower's complaint is a necessary first step. - Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3148", "Pingree Says Formal Impeachment Inquiry Needed After President Trump Admitted He Asked Foreign Government to Interfere in 2020 Election", "2019-09-24", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Pingree Says Formal Impeachment Inquiry Needed After President Trump Admitted He Asked Foreign Government to Interfere in 2020 Election \r\n    \r\n     \r\n\r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Washington,\r\n      September 24, 2019\r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n        \r\n           \r\n      \r\n          \r\n      \r\n           \r\n        \r\n      \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today issued the following statement in support of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's establishment of formal impeachment inquiry:\r\nPresident Trump has admitted that he asked a foreign government tohelp his political campaign. That is wrong. We, as Members of Congress, have a constitutional duty to hold the Executive branch accountable and uphold the law, especially whennational security and the validityof our elections is at stake. I support Speaker Pelosi's establishment of aformal impeachable inquiryinto President Trump'sconduct.Theintegrity ofour Republic rests on the action Congress takes now in the face of this unprecedented behavior by the President of the United States.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3147", "Pingree Announces More than $1 Million in Federal Fire Safety Funds Coming to Maine", "2019-09-20", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Pingree Announces More than $1 Million in Federal Fire Safety Funds Coming to Maine \r\n    \r\n     \r\n\r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Portland, Maine,\r\n      September 20, 2019\r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n        \r\n           \r\n      \r\n          \r\n      \r\n           \r\n        \r\n      \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced the award of $1,169,893 to five fire departments in the 1stCongressional District. The funding comes from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighter Grants (AFG) and is awarded directly to fire departments, EMS organization, and state fire training academies.\r\nFirefighters who risk their lives every day need the best equipment and training possible, said Pingree. Having access to the latest technology is imperative for our firefighters to do their jobs successfully. This funding is welcome news and will go a long way to make improvements, strengthen existing facilities, and protect our communities and firefighters.\r\nDetails of the grants are as follows:\r\n \r\n    Portland, Maine: Federal share of $59,319 for 3 protective gear washers and 3 protective gear dryers.\r\n    Buxton, Maine: Federal share of $454,255  A regional grant with Buxton, Gorham, Standish and Windham for 20 mobile radio repeaters, 100 firefighter pagers, 55 mobile radios, 31 headsets, and 180 portable radios.\r\n    Standish, Maine: Federal share of $100,571 diesel fume source capture exhaust system.\r\n    Yarmouth, Maine: Federal share of $185,333 for 28 firefighter breathing apparatus and 20 additional facepieces.\r\n    Waterville, MaineFederal share of $370,415  A regional grant with Albion, Fairfield, Winslow and Clinton, ME for 9 cardiac monitors.\r\n \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-introduces-comprehensive-bill-end-child-lead-poisoning-american-homes", "Golden Introduces Comprehensive Bill to End Child Lead Poisoning in American Homes", "2019-09-19", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  With more than 2,600 Maine children diagnosed or likely to have been diagnosed with lead poisoning in Maine in the past 5 years, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) introduced comprehensive legislation today that would direct the federal government to take the action necessary to end lead poisoning in American homes. Golden's Lead Free Future Act invests $2.5 billion dollars a year over five years in lead screening, education, and abatement over five years, enough to remove lead from more than 220,000 homes annually and screen millions more for presence of the poisonous metal.\nIn Maine, over 2,600 children were either diagnosed with lead poisoning or were likely to have been diagnosed with lead poisoning had they been screened over the last five years. In addition to the impacts on individual kids and families, lead poisoning places an enormous burden on victims' communities. Special education costs alone average $218,400 per poisoned child before they graduate high school, placing a $567 million burden on Maine communities just for children diagnosed in the last five years. When weighed against the education, public health, and services costs, lead abatement is a remarkably strong investment. For every dollar invested in lead control, between $17 and $221 are estimated to be returned to the community.\nLead poisoning robs thousands of Maine kids of a healthy life and it costs our communities billions of dollars they desperately need. Yet our government has been content with a status quo that waits to remove lead from homes until after a child has been poisoned,said Golden.We need to change the way Washington addresses this problem and focus on eliminating lead from homes, plain and simple. The Lead Free Future Act will protect millions of young lives, save Maine communities millions of dollars, and make the investments we know we need to make to end lead poisoning in the home.\nThe Lead Free Future Act was developed in collaboration with organizations leading the fight against lead poisoning in Maine and on the national level, including the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative and the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition.\n\"Jared Golden has proven to be a national leader in protecting children from the irreversible impacts of lead exposure, and had led Maine to implement lead poisoning prevention standards consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention national recommendations. The toxic legacy of lead irreversibly damages over 535,000 American children under the age of six each year. As a nation, we have a moral imperative to stop knowingly allowing children to be poisoned by lead, robbing them of their potential for lifelong health and success. The Lead-Free Future Act provides investment at greater scale, to advance our shared mission of eliminating lead poisoning for this and future generations. The Green and Healthy Homes Initiative is proud to support this bill. Together, we can eliminate childhood lead poisoning once at for all.\" Ruth Ann Norton, President & CEO, Green and Healthy Homes Initiative\nLead hazards are one of the biggest obstacles we face in our work to ensure all Mainers have safe, affordable housing. We're making progress in our state, but the grim reality is that thousands of Maine children are still being poisoned by lead. We need to change the game if we're going to solve this problem. Congressman Golden's Lead Free Future Act is bold legislation that reflects the realities we see in Maine every day and finally tackles the lead crisis with the intention of ending it once and for all. Greg Payne, Director, Maine Affordable Housing Coalition\nGolden's legislation would provide $12.5 billion in grants to state and local governments, as well as nonprofits, to implement strategies for lead hazard control in American homes, perform lead screening, and conduct education and data analysis across the country. Significantly, the grants will prioritize improving outcomes for low-income children under the age of six and pregnant women, as well as areas with a high proportion of pre-1978 housing stock and where household income does not exceed 80 percent of the area median income. Urban and rural areas across Maine meet the standards necessary for grant eligibility under the legislation.\nAmong other provisions, Golden's bill would:\n Establish grant programs to invest $12.5 billion in lead screening, education, abatement, and data collection across the U.S.\n\tRequire states to lower their blood lead reference levels to the CDC standard of 5 g/dL or below. Lowering this standard ensures more lead poisoning cases are diagnosed and more homes are tested and abated.\n\tDirect all federal housing and any housing receiving a federal mortgage, federal insurance, or federal mortgage assistance to undergo lead-risk assessments including lead dust wipe testing, drinking water testing, and other lead remediation activities.\n Golden has made addressing lead poisoning a focus of his time in elected office, a reflection of the fact that his home city of Lewiston has the highest concentration of lead poisoning in the state. As a state representative, he helped Maine become first in the nation to lower its blood lead level to the CDC-recommended standard in 2015, leading to a seven-fold increase in the number of homes inspected for lead hazards, and a six-fold increase in homes under orders to remove identified sources of lead. Just last year, Golden led the passage of a law that set up a fund to help landlords perform abatement in rental units, enough money to remove lead from about 400 homes across the state.\nIn March,Golden called on Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson to significantly escalate his agency's response to the lead crisis.The letter laid out several of the principles that are now detailed in the Lead Free Future Act.\nRead the text of Golden's billhere.\nRead a summary of the billhere.\nRead more information on the lead crisis in Maine,hereandhere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3144", "Pingree Leads Bipartisan Letter to FDA Urging Legal Pathway for CBD", "2019-09-19", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Congressman James Comer (R-Ky.) today sent a bipartisan letter signed by 25 members of Congress to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), urging the agency to quickly provide legal clarity and establish a regulatory pathway for food products containing hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD).\r\nDuring these challenging times for the agricultural economy, farmers are excited to plant legal hemp and are eagerly awaiting the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) soon-to-be released regulatory framework that will enable farmers to invest in a new crop. Business and consumer interest in CBD and hemp products has skyrocketed, and companies are already capitalizing on the growing demand, wrote the lawmakers. However, FDA's current regulatory posture on CBD has created significant regulatory and legal uncertainty for participants in this quickly evolving industry. We are discouraged by FDA's estimation that a rulemaking process could span 3 to 5 years. We believe there are more expeditious measures that FDA could take that would establish regulatory clarity while pursuing enforcement actions against bad actors.\r\nIn the letter, Pingree and Comer called for prompt guidance regarding enforcement discretion as well as issuance of an interim final rule to establish a clear regulatory framework for CBD as a dietary supplement and food additive. Given the widespread availability of CBD products, booming consumer demand, and the surge in industrial hemp farming, Pingree and Comer urged the FDA issue legal guidance quickly.\r\nFull text of the letter can be found here.\r\nBACKGROUND\r\nThe 2018 Farm Bill legalized the production of hemp. However, because CBD is the active ingredient in Epidiolex, a drug that has undergone substantial clinical trials, food products containing CBD are currently prohibited under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. In May 2019, FDA held a public meeting to solicit input from the public on a regulatory pathway for CBD. FDA received over 4,000 public comments on the docket regarding CBD, which closed on July 16, 2019.\r\nPingree first wrote to the FDA in February 2019 to request guidance regarding legal pathways for food products containing CBD. In April 2019, Pingree questioned then-FDA Commissioner Gottlieb as a member of the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee about the agency's timeline for issuing guidance regardingCBDedibles.A video of her questioning in committee is available here. \r\nMaine Governor Janet Mills took action this April to legalize intrastate commerce of CBD products. Hemp production in Maine has increased substantially, from 500 acres of hemp production in Maine last year to 1,500 acres this year. The majority of Maine hemp farmers use or sell their crop for CBD-related products.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3146", "VIDEO: Pingree Chairs Interior Appropriations Hearing Examining Pervasive Effects of Marine Debris on Ocean Habitats, Species", "2019-09-19", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today chaired a House Interior Appropriations subcommittee hearing focused on marine debris and the impacts debris have on ecosystems and species in our oceans. Pingree currently serves as vice chair of the subcommittee, which is chaired by Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-Minn.).\r\nAccording to the United Nations, every minute, the equivalent of a garbage truck full of plastic is dumped into our ocean and that is more than eight million metric tons a year,said Pingree in her opening statement.Single use plastics are items we use once and throw away but then last for hundreds of yearssometimes thousands of yearsWe need to get back to basics and realize that these convenience plastics are costing our environment, our ecosystem and our oceans in particulartheir lives. Today we are hosting this hearing, to talk more about the impacts and how agencies across the federal government can take this challenge head on.\r\nPingree's opening statement can be downloadedhere, and questions asked in committee can be downloadedhereandhere. A complete video of the subcommittee hearing can be foundhere.\r\nPlastics are a widespread environmental contaminant. More than 8 million tons of plastic are dumped in the ocean every year. Scientists are finding evidence of microplastic contamination on land, in freshwater, and in marine environments, with devastating consequences for both species and habitats. It is estimated that between 15 and 51 trillion microplastic particles are floating on the surface of our oceans.\r\nStudies have reported entanglement or ingestion in more than 800 species of wildlife to date. Seabirds are particularly at risk of plastic consumption. Plastics, such as bottle caps, balloons, and lighters are easily confused for foods. A recentNational Academy of Sciences studyfound that almost 60% of all studied species of seabirds have eaten plastic and predicts that by 2050, 99% of seabird species will ingest plastic.\r\nThe Maine coastline has seen a rise in shoreline marine debris which pose threats to the breeding birds that use the island for nesting. Cleanups held by the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex in past years have collected over 19,200 pounds of marine debris from a 0.66 mile section of shoreline.\r\nDr. Patricia Matrai, a senior research scientist for Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in Maine, offered testimony on the second panel of outside experts. Other organizations represented included the US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Geological Survey, and Oceana.\r\nPingree has a strong record in working to combat marine debris. She was an original cosponsor of the Save our Seas Act, which reauthorized the NOAA Marine Debris Program through FY2022 and provides resources to help states respond to severe marine debris events. She is also an original cosponsor of the Save our Seas 2.0 Act by Rep. Bonamici and Rep. Don Young, which bolsters the Marine Debris Program and establishes a Marine Debris Response Trust Fund to use in responding to marine debris events.\r\nPingree is also working to reduce food waste and food packaging waste. In the FY2020 Appropriations Bill, Pingree secured language encouraging composting, reducing waste, and adherence to theDistrict of Columbia'splastic straw ban for the Capitol Complex.\r\nThis press release is available onlinehere.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-risch-lead-bipartisan-effort-level-playing-field-family-businesses", "Golden, Risch Lead Bipartisan Effort to Level the Playing Field for Family Businesses in Forest Products Industry", "2019-09-12", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  To help family logging businesses address workforce shortages in the forest products industry, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) and Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), joined by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), Senator Angus King (I-ME), and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01), led a bipartisan group of 16 members of Congress today calling on the Department of Labor (DOL) to take action. The members urged DOL to grant a regulatory exemption that would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to learn the logging trade under parental supervision.\nThe forest products industry is an economic driver that provides good-paying jobs in many rural communities across the country,the members of Congress wrote.Much like farming and ranching, the timber harvesting profession is often a family run business where the practice and techniques of harvesting and transporting forest products from the forest to receiving mills is passed down from one generation to the next. Unfortunately, young men and women in families who own and operate timber harvesting companies are denied the opportunity to work and learn the family trade until the age of eighteen.\nThe changes requested in the members' letter mirror those proposed in the Future Logging Careers Act, which would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 so that 16- and 17-year-olds are allowed to work in certain logging operations under parental supervision. The legislation was introduced by Sens. Risch and King as S. 818 in the Senate and by Reps. Golden and Glenn Thompson (PA-15) as H.R. 1785 in the House. Sen. Collins, Rep. Pingree, and the other members who signed the letter signed on as cosponsors of the legislation.\nThe economic vitality of our nation's forest products industry is essential not only to these local communities and regions but also to the nation's manufacturing base,continued the lawmakers.That is why we introduced the bipartisan and bicameralFuture in Logging Careers Act. Absent congressional action, we encourage the DOL to consider granting an exemption to allow sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds to work in mechanized logging operations...\nTimber harvesting in Maine is a legacy industry consisting of family-based businesses that have been passed down from generation to generation which hire thousands of Mainers and contribute more than $880 million annually to the Maine economy,said Dana Doran, Executive Director of the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine.The Future Logging Careers Act, as well as this recommendation to the US Department of Labor, will ensure that these family based businesses in the State of Maine can sustain themselves for the long term and remain a strong part of Maine's economy. Congressman Golden, Senator Collins, Senator King and Congresswoman Pingree should be applauded for their leadership on this issue because without common-sense regulatory reform like this, the future of this industry will continue to be at risk.\nThe farming and ranching industry already enjoy a similar exemption. Such a change would help address the workforce shortage in the logging industry and help to prepare young Americans for careers in timber harvesting. Logging is complicated and technical work that demands training and experience that many colleges do not offer. Forcing family members to wait until the age of eighteen to begin the intensive on-the-ground training that logging demands denies many small family businesses the help they need, and many aspiring young loggers critical professional experience.\nA copy of the letter can be foundhere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3142", "Pingree Announces $800,000 in Funding to Support Maines Firefighters, First Responders", "2019-09-12", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Pingree Announces $800,000 in Funding to Support Maine's Firefighters, First Responders \r\n    \r\n     \r\n\r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Washington,\r\n      September 12, 2019\r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n        \r\n           \r\n      \r\n          \r\n      \r\n           \r\n        \r\n      \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced the Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG) has awarded five projects in Maine's 1stCongressional District with a total of $813,760.85 funding. The AFG program assists first-responder organizations in obtaining emergency response equipment, personal protective equipment, emergency vehicles, and training. The funding is awarded directly to fire departments, EMS organization, and state fire training academies.\r\nIn order to protect our local communities every day, Maine firefighters need the proper training and equipment,said Pingree.A well-equipped force helps keep our cities and towns safethat's why I've fought repeatedly to support increased funding for this grant program through my seat on the Appropriations Committee. It's great to see this investment in our state's emergency services, which will go far to support our first responders.\r\nThe details of the grants are below:\r\n \r\n    Town of Windham: $60,952.38 for operations and safety, which will go towards installing an automatic sprinkler system in a station that does not have a system yet.\r\n    City of Waterville: $229,333.33 for operations and safety, which will go towards replacing 20-year-old air packs (self-contained breathing apparatus).\r\n    Town of Casco: $125,714.28 forfour automatic loaders for their ambulances. \r\n    Town of Gorham: $304,780.\r\n    Maine Community College System: $92,980.86 for equipment, including forcible entry doors, hazardous materials training equipment, and a training trailer for pump operation.\r\n \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-votes-protect-maine-coast-offshore-drilling", "Golden Votes to Protect the Maine Coast from Offshore Drilling", "2019-09-11", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Working to protect Maine's iconic coastline and fisheries, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) voted to put a permanent moratorium on leasing for oil and gas production in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The legislation, the Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act, passed the House today with bipartisan support.\nOur beautiful coastline supports thousands of Maine jobs,said Golden.The future of key Maine industries like fishing and tourism is tied to the health of our environment and our coast. Oil and gas development threatens the livelihoods of thousands of Mainers and the survival of dozens of coastal communities. As one of Maine's most valuable natural resources, it's crucial that we protect our oceans from the threat of offshore drilling.\nCongressman Golden has been a strong advocate for the healthy oceans and coastal communities in Maine and across the country. In January, he cosponsored similar legislation, the New England Coastal Protection Act. Golden helped pass the Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act, legislation that would require federal officials to work with coastal communities to address the impacts of ocean acidification, through the House in June. In May, he co-sponsored the ArcticCultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act, which would prohibit energy and other development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3139", "Pingree Announces $700K Federal Investment in Three Maine Museums", "2019-09-11", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced the Institute of Museum and Library Services' (IMLS) Museums for America (MFA) program will award three projects in Maine's First Congressional District with a combined $704,458 in grants and combined matching amounts of $769,730.\r\nIn my lifetime, I've watched communities like Rockland transform into nationalarts and culturedestinations. Federal investment is a big part of that. I'm proud to use my seat on the House Appropriations Committee and my role as co-chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus to advocate for continued arts funding. Every dollar we dedicate to making ourarts scene more vibrant results in more cultural tourism for Maine, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine).\r\nMuseums for America is the IMLS' largest discretionary grant program for museums. It supports projects that strengthen the ability of museums to serve the general public. Museums receiving awards in Maine's First Congressional District include Bowdoin College Museum of Art for $239,344, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens for $249,975, and the William A. Farnsworth Library and Art Museum for $215,139.\r\nPingree is the co-chair of the bi-partisan Congressional Arts Caucus. She also serves as the Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, where she oversees arts funding.\r\nDetails of the three Museums for America grants are below:\r\n \r\n    Institution: Bowdoin College Museum of Art\r\n    \r\n        Award Amount: $239,344\r\n        Matching Amount: $240,925\r\n        Project Title: Collections Storage and Access for Bowdoin College Museums\r\n        Project Description: Bowdoin College will improve both physical and digital access to the collections of its two museums, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art and the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum. The project team will consolidate the museums' collections into a newly-renovated, climate-controlled storage facility. Led by collections staff from both museums, the project team will include an art handler, a registrar's assistant, and a collections management intern. Project activities will include packing and unpacking objects, relocating/rehousing them, and photographing and updating records in each museum's collections management database. The team will also catalog newly-acquired collections and upload images and information to the museums' online collections portals. The project will provide greater public access to the history, cultures, and ideas represented in the collections of the two museums.\r\n    \r\n    Institution: Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens\r\n    \r\n        Award Amount: $249,975\r\n        Matching Amount: $313,658\r\n        Project Title: Multimodal Learning at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens\r\n        Project Description: The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens will design, fabricate, evaluate and install three new components to enhance learning opportunities for its visitors. A learning hub will provide seating and shelter, information on gardens and facilities, and in-depth information about a particular garden or topic. The learning hub will be tested and evaluated as a prototype for future hubs to be located throughout the garden. A new nature play space with hands-on activities and interactive structures will encourage young children to learn about plants and nature through music, hands-on creations, and imaginary play. Improved and critically-needed orientation and wayfinding elements will also be installed at the garden's new entrance. The project will introduce multimodal learning experiences to the site as part of a 20-year Master Interpretive Plan.\r\n    \r\n    Institution: William A. Farnsworth Library and Art Museum\r\n    \r\n        Award Amount: $215,139\r\n        Matching Amount: $215,147\r\n        Project Title: AEP Strong! Strengthening the Arts-in-Education Program at the Farnsworth Art Museum\r\n        Project Description: The Farnsworth Art Museum will expand, enhance, and evaluate its arts-integration education programs for rural, mid-coast Maine schools. This will help enrich the Maine Studies curriculum and other curricula studied by grades three through twelve. To support this project, the museum will increase dedicated staff time and compensation to support the program. The team will work with pedagogy consultants to add program content. They will also recruit more teaching artists, provide them with training, and conduct program-specific training for museum docents. The project will also support opportunities for staff to attend regional and national conferences. The museum will expand access to its dedicated arts-integrated education website, which provides curricular resources, access to the museum collection, and downloadable materials for teachers. The project will conclude with an exhibition of student creative work related to their studies.\r\n    \r\n \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3141", "VIDEO: In Floor Speech, Pingree Urges Support for Bill Banning Oil Drilling in Gulf of Maine", "2019-09-11", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today spoke before the U.S. Houseof Representativesin support ofH.R. 1941, the Coastal Marine Economies Protection Act. The bill seeks to counteract theTrump administration's planto drill for oil in most U.S. waters, including new leasesin the North Atlantic region encompassing Maine.H.R. 1941 would place a permanent moratorium on oil and gas leasing on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. \r\n\r\nWatch or download Pingree's floor speech here.\r\nText of her speech is as follows:\r\nThank you Mr. Speaker and thank you to the chair for his work on this and for yielding me the time.\r\nToday I rise in support ofThe Coastal Marine Economies Protection Actand to defend Maine's coastline for future generations.\r\nThis summer I was blessed to once again become a grandmother.\r\nWith the birth of my new grandson, I am now lucky enough to be the grandmother of four.\r\nAll four of my grandchildren played in and around the ocean this summer, the Gulf of Mainejust as their parents had had done and so many other Mainers do every summer.\r\nThe Gulf of Maine is an irreplaceable natural resource that is a draw for millions tourists each year for a reason and it is critical to the Maine economy.\r\nIt should not be exploited for oil and drilling.\r\nThe climate crisis has already taken a toll on our waters. Its caused ocean acidification and a rise in sea levels and the warming of the ocean has put Maine's vibrant fishing industries in peril.\r\nDrilling for fossil fuels in the Gulf of Maine when we should be investing to renewable energy is like trying to put out fire by dousing it with kerosene.\r\nI believe it is our duty, as elected leaders, to leave this nation better than how we found it.\r\nThat means ensuring we preserve our oceans forour children and grandchildrenand we fight this climate crisis with all we've got.\r\nI hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join me in supporting H.R. 1941 because sacrificing our coastline to further this nation's dependence on fossil fuels is nothing short of irresponsible.\r\nThe U.S. House plans to vote on two other bills to ban oil and gas drilling off the coast andtoreverse a provision in the 2017Republican tax planwhich allowed new drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). These bills include:\r\nH.R. 205 Protecting and Securing Florida's Coastline Act(Rep. Rooney): permanently extends the moratorium on oil and gas leasing and preleasing in the Gulf of Mexico.\r\nH.R. 1146 Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plan Protection Act(Rep. Huffman): prohibits oil and gas leasing, development, and production in ANWR.Congresswoman Pingreeis a co-sponsor.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-brings-congress-washington-county-learn-mainers-building-rural-broadband", "Golden Brings Congress to Washington County to Learn from Mainers Building Rural Broadband Infrastructure", "2019-09-10", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "MACHIAS, ME  Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) brought a congressional field hearing to the University of Maine at Machias yesterday to hear from the small businesses, organizations, and stakeholders working to build out broadband infrastructure in rural Maine. Golden, chairman of the House Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting & Infrastructure, was joined by Subcommittee Ranking Member Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) for the bipartisan hearing, which sought to identify policy changes that will help connect small businesses in rural Maine with broadband internet.\nWe're going to find the solutions that will help us connect more small businesses in rural Maine with high-speed broadband in places like Baileyville, Machias, and Roque Bluffs, not in Washington, said Congressman Golden. That's why it's so important that we bring Congress to Washington County, where small businesses and towns are doing the hard work  and succeeding  to build the broadband infrastructure their communities need. In today's hearing, Congressman Stauber and I worked across the aisle with our witnesses to identify ways we can change policy in Congress to lower barriers and provide more resources for companies and organizations building the infrastructure our rural areas desperately need.\nWith quick and reliable broadband access, even the smallest towns and communities can compete with the rest of the world, said Congressman Stauber. I am committed to closing the digital divide between our urban and rural communities as broadband is vital to the success of every small business, school, hospital, and family. I am thankful to be working with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle on this issue. Together, we can ensure every American small business and family has access to dependable broadband.\nGolden and Stauber's field hearing was the first congressional hearing in Washington County in decades. The members of Congress and witnesses discussed the challenges small businesses in rural Maine face without adequate broadband access, including limited opportunities to grow their businesses, attract new employees, and compete in the digital age.\nDuring the hearing, Mark Ouellette, President and CEO of Axiom Technologies, and Timothy McAfee, CEO of Pioneer Broadband, discussed their experiences working to secure funding and build out broadband infrastructure as service providers. The two witnesses, both running small businesses themselves, offered valuable testimony about the scope and scale of of the broadband gap in rural Maine communities. Ouellete and McAfee also described challenges they face accessing federal resources and ways to improve grant programs offered through the USDA to promote the development of rural broadband in Maine.\nChris Loughlin, a board member of the Downeast Broadband Utility and Town Manager for the town of Baileyville offered his perspective as a town official and leader of a local broadband utility. Loughlin testified to his community's decision to form their own utility and proposed steps the federal government could take to be helpful in Baileyville and Calais' efforts to build broadband infrastructure in their town.\nLisa Hanscom, First Selectman for the Town of Roque Bluffs and co-manager of Welch Farm, shared with the committee the obstacles her community is facing to access federal grants to improve access to broadband. Hanscom offered areas in which the USDA's ReConnect program could be improved to lower barriers for rural municipalities like Roque Bluffs. Hanscom also offered valuable insight into the struggles of small business owners, particularly farmers, to grow their business without reliable broadband access.\nCongressman Golden has made expanding broadband internet in rural Maine a priority in his first year in Congress. He was named to the House Task Force on Rural Broadband earlier this year and has taken a leadership role in addressing the issue on the House Small Business Committee. Earlier this year he previously tackled the lack of reliable broadband for rural Mainers, including calling on the FCC to address the urban/rural divide in April.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3137", "Responding to Congresswoman Pingrees Request, GAO Releases Food Date Labeling Report", "2019-09-09", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In response to request for study made by Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) in October 2017, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) today issued areportwhich confirmed food date labeling to be a significant source of consumer confusion and subsequently food waste. Pingree praised the report titled Date Labels on Packaged Foods: USDA and FDA Could Take Additional Steps to Reduce Consumer Confusion, which recommended that federal agencies coordinate with state and local governments to standardize food date labels.\r\n40 percent of the food produced in the US is wasted annually. Until we have a federal law that actually standardizes date labeling across all markets, we will not see a significant reduction in consumer confusion or food waste greenhouse gas emissions,said Congresswoman Chellie Pingree.All stakeholderslocal, state, federal, or private sectormust work collaboratively to set and enforce clear labeling standards to reduce food waste.\r\nThe report calls for coordination between federal agencies and other stakeholders such as state, local, and tribal governments on actions related to date labels. GAO also acknowledged thatUSDA and FDA share oversight of almost the entire food supply, but don't regulate most date labels (besides infant formula) and are not required to do so by federal law.\r\nLast month, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)the UN's body for assessing the science related to climate changereleased areportoutlining the pressures of climate change on land and agriculture. The IPCC found that around 8 to 10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions are related to food loss from harvest, production, or consumer waste, underscoring the need for all innovative solutions to be considered by the federal government in pursuit of curbing food waste.\r\nPingree and Congressman Dan Newhouse (R-Washington) recently reintroduced the bipartisan Food Date Labeling Act, a bill designed to end consumer confusion around food date labeling and ensure Americans do not throw out perfectly good food. Studies have shown that Americans are confused by food date labels, resulting in a significant amount of edible food ending up in landfills. At present, there are no federal regulations related to date labels on food products, aside from infant formula. Date labeling regulations are left up to states, which means consumers are left trying to sort out a patchwork of confounding terms. Sell by, use by, freshest on, and expires on are just a few of the phrases currently being used on food products. H.R. 3981 will reduce food waste by establishing an easily understood food date labeling system. Pingree is a recognized policy leader on food waste reduction. She launched and currently co-chairs Congress' first-ever Bipartisan Food Recovery Caucus. She sits on the Appropriations Committee and the Agriculture Committee, where she has helped shepherd through programs and funding to reduce food waste.The 2018 Farm Bill included her provisions to create the first full-timefoodloss andwasteliaison atUSDA, a composting andfoodwastereduction pilot program, as well as the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) to reduce on-farmwaste.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3135", "Pingree Responds to Reports of Trump Administrations Plan to Halt Nearly All Refugee Admissions", "2019-09-06", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Country of Origin\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            FY16\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            FY17\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            FY18\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            FY19\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            %Change\r\n            FY17-19\r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Afghan\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            40\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            13\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            -97.5%\r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Angolan\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Burmese\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            3\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Burundian\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            20\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Central African\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            6\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Congolese\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            130\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            56\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            50\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            89\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            -31.5%\r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Djibouti\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Eritrean\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            3\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            4\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Ethiopian\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            16\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            21\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            5\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Honduran\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            6\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Iranian\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            6\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Iraqi\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            205\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            77\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            9\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            7\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            -96.5%\r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Kenyan\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            2\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            2\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Pakistani\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Rwandan\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Somali\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            187\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            89\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            9\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            -100%\r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            South African\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            9\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Sudanese\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            9\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            11\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            5\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Syrian\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            75\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            26\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            -98.65%\r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Welsh\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            1\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Grand Total\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            675\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            320\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            77\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            131\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            -80.6%", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/maine-delegation-urges-va-provide-maine-veterans-beds-long-term-mental-health", "Maine Delegation Urges VA to Provide Maine Veterans with Beds for Long-Term Mental Health Care", "2019-08-22", "2019", "2019-08", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME), and Representatives Chellie Pingree (ME-01) and Jared Golden (ME-02) urged Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert Wilkie to address the absence of long-term mental health and substance abuse treatment care for veterans at VA facilities in Maine. VA Maine has no beds for such care.\n\nThis lack of local mental health services presents an exceptionally difficult choice for Maine veterans who seek mental health and substance abuse treatment: either receive care far away from their family and support networks or forego evaluation and treatment out of concern for having to leave their communities, wrote the delegation. Togus urgently needs the ability to provide veterans with long-term care for mental health or substance abuse issues. This unacceptable situation for Maine veterans has continued for too long.\n\nThe delegation's letter supports a request made by VA Maine to establish a permanent unit to provide long-term beds dedicated to mental health and substance abuse treatment. VA providers are trained specifically to help veterans overcome their unique challenges, which normal health care facilities can not provide.\n\nThe Maine delegation has made improving mental health care for our state's veterans a high priority. Last month, Golden successfully passed a provision through the House to increase the amount of funding provided for long-term mental health care beds at VA facilities as part of the Military Construction/Veterans Affairs appropriations bill. In June, Golden pressed Dr. Richard Stone, the Executive in Charge of the Veterans Health Administration, for a plan to address the lack of long-term mental health and substance abuse treatment services at Togus.\n\nIn April, Senator Collins hosted Secretary Wilkie in Maine to visit a veteran-owned small business, participate in the groundbreaking for a new veterans residential care facility, and tour an organization that provides housing for homeless veterans. As a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Collins has worked to ensure robust funding for VA's mental health programs, which resulted in funding for VA mental health programs in Fiscal Year 2019 at $200 million above the previously enacted level and $16 million above the amount initially requested in VA's budget submission. Sen. Collins also pushed for policies that reinforce our nation's commitment to members of our military, veterans, and their families, such as supporting military caregivers, improving health care for veterans, and fighting to ensure continued funding for veterans homelessness programs.\n\nSenator King has been a strong advocate for veterans issues since arriving in Washington. He has successfully advocated for the VA to fund three additional positions to better serve Maine veterans facing homelessness, mental health or substance abuse issues. In September 2018, he joined a panel featuring veterans' healthcare experts and caregivers at the Portland Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), to highlight common suicide risk factors and warning signs for suicide, provided information about VA mental health and suicide prevention resources, and emphasized the importance of starting the conversation around veteran mental health.\n\nRead a copy of the letter here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-stauber-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-improve-infrastructure-american", "Golden, Stauber Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Infrastructure for American Firefighters", "2019-08-16", "2019", "2019-08", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) joined Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) to introduce bipartisan legislation to help improve infrastructure at America's fire stations. The Fire Station Infrastructure Safety Act would provide data on the age and conditions of every fire station in the country, a key step for Congress to develop policies to update aging fire station infrastructure around the country.\nFrom the full-time professionals to the volunteers, firefighters all over Maine go above and beyond for their communities, Congressman Golden said. We should honor their service and keep them safe by making sure they have the equipment and facilities they need to do their jobs. I'm proud to work across the aisle with Congressman Stauber to take this important step to support American firefighters.\"\nIn times of crisis, our nation's heroic firefighters are first on the scene, ready to help and oftentimes, willing to put their own lives in danger to save others, Congressman Stauber said. As a former law enforcement officer, I remain committed to ensuring the men and women who serve and protect our communities every day are adequately equipped to perform their jobs and return home safely, and I know this legislation will help do just that.\nFighting fires for a living is tough work. We're proud to do it, but our jobs get even more demanding when the fire stations we live and work in are falling apart, said John Martell, President of the Professional Fire Fighters of Maine. Congress needs to take a serious look at how it can help fire crews in Maine and across our country update and improve their fire stations and I'm glad to see Congressman Golden leading the way. This bill is a much-needed first step to provide our nations firefighters with the critical infrastructure they need to keep our communities safe far into the future.\nBoth Golden and Stauber are members of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/collins-king-golden-celebrate-reopening-old-town-mill", "Collins, King, Golden Celebrate Reopening of Old Town Mill", "2019-08-15", "2019", "2019-08", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) and Representative Jared Golden (D-Maine) celebrated the reopening of the Old Town Mill, which will support both the regional economy and further bolster Maine's forest products industry. Senators Collins and King and Representative Golden toured the mill and gave remarks highlighting the significance of investments in Maine's rural economy. ND Paperpurchased the Old Town Mill in October 2018, which was applauded by Senators Collins and King, following their investments in the Rumford Paper Mill.\n\tMaine's forest economy has long played a vital role in our state, and we applaud the investments that ND Paper is making in the Old Town Mill to create jobs and to further support rural communities,said Senator Collins, Senator King and Representative Golden in a joint statement.By building on and updating one of Maine's most historic manufacturing sites, ND Paper is investing in Maine's forest economy and in our talented workforce. We will continue to work together with industry and community leaders to help revitalize our forest products industry for generations to come.\n\tSenators Collins and King are strong supporters of revitalizing Maine's forest economy and were instrumental in establishingthe Forest Opportunity Roadmap (FOR/Maine) Initiative, an industry-led initiative that is helping to diversify the state's wood products businesses, attract investments, and develop greater economic prosperity for rural communities impacted by mill closures. The FOR/Maine Initiative was funded in part by the Economic Development Assessment Team (EDAT)requested by the Senators in 2016in order to create strategies for job growth and economic development in Maine's rural communities. The EDAT recommended the development of new markets for Maine's forest resources, including the strengthening of existing forest products manufacturing, the attraction of investment in emerging technology, and the utilization of forest products residuals in CHP biomass plants, microgrids, modern thermal systems, and new forest products development.\n\tCongressman Golden is working to help Maine's forest products industry succeed far into the future by helping prepare Maine's workforce to take good jobs in Maine's forests, roads, and mills. He introduced the Future Loggers Careers Act in the House earlier this year,which Senator King cosponsored in the Senate. The legislation would ready young Mainers for good jobs in the forest products industry, support family logging businesses, and ensure operations like ND's Old Town Mill have a reliable, consistent supply of quality Maine wood fiber. Golden is also a cosponsor of the DRIVE-Safe Act, which would address the urgent shortage of truck drivers in Maine's forest products industry by encouraging more young people to enter careers in trucking. The congressman also supports full funding for the EDAT and its recommended projects, as well as other efforts to strengthen and diversify the wood products industry and our rural economy.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3133", "Pingree Announces Maine Cultural Organizations to Receive $200,000 from National Endowment for the Humanities", "2019-08-14", "2019", "2019-08", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has awarded two projects in Maine a combined $200,000. The Maine Humanities Council and the University of Maine, Augusta will both receive $100,000 for public discussion programs.\r\nAs the co-chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus, I've seen how the arts can bring people together and build understanding, said Pingree. These NEH grants will help to lift up diverse voices and increase access to cultural programming for all Mainers. I'm proud to have advocated for increased arts funding as a member of the House Appropriations committee and excited to see these projects come to fruition in Maine.  \r\n\r\nThe Maine Humanities Council's NEH funding will support programming for the Maine bicentennial celebration, beginning in 2020. The University of Maine, Augusta's NEH funding will support a 15-part speaker series called Maine's Midcentury Moment, a part of UMA's bicentennial programming, which will examine Maine's cultural contributions to midcentury arts, literature, entrepreneurial efforts, and the humanities.\r\nPingree is the co-chair of the bi-partisan Congressional Arts Caucus. She also serves as the Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, where she oversees the NEA and arts funding.\r\nDetails of the NEH grants are below:\r\nMaine Humanities Council  \r\nHumanities Discussions  \r\nProgram Description: Support for a series of discussion programs for the public.  \r\nOutright Amount: $100,000  \r\nMatching Amount: $10,000 University of Maine, Augusta  \r\nHumanities Discussions  \r\nProgram Description: Support for a series of discussion programs for the public.  \r\nOutright Amount: $100,000\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-backs-legislation-protect-call-center-jobs", "Golden Backs Legislation to Protect Call Center Jobs", "2019-08-09", "2019", "2019-08", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Working to protect call center jobs in Maine's Second District, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) cosponsored the bipartisan United States Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act of 2019. The bill would punish companies that send call center jobs overseas by disqualifying those companies from receiving federal grants and loans, making them less competitive for federal contracts, and requiring call centers to disclose their locations to customers.\nWe've lost too many good Maine jobs from corporations' decisions to send jobs overseas, Golden said. Call center workers are the latest victims of these companies prioritizing profits over people. The workers lose their livelihoods but the corporations don't face consequences. I'm proud to support this legislation, which will incentivize companies that run call centers to keep jobs in the states.\nAs a call center worker and state representative, I know firsthand that these good jobs for working families in Maine are at risk of corporate offshoring and also that our elected officials can and should do something about it. The federal anti-offshoring call center bill is a good thing for Maine workers, consumers, and taxpayers and I thank Rep. Golden for his leadership and commitment to our state's working families by supporting this bipartisan and common-sense bill.\" - State Rep. Michelle Dunphy,CWA Local 1400 member & call center worker\nCall centers have increasingly been targets for outsourcing over the past several decades. The United States Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act of 2019 would incentivize companies to keep their call centers in America by:\n \nRequiring businesses to notify the Department of Labor (DOL) of the transferring of jobs overseas at least 120 days before relocation - failure to do so would subject businesses to a $10,000 fine per day;\n\tDirecting the DOL to maintain a list of businesses who have transferred call center jobs overseas. Employers will stay on the list for five years unless they return to an equal or greater number of domestic call center jobs;\n\tMaking employers on this list ineligible for federal grants or loans;\n\tRequiring agencies to give preference to employers not on this list when awarding federal contracts and require all call center work be performed domestically;\n\tRequiring call centers to disclose their location at the beginning of customer calls and transfer calls to a domestic-based location, if requested by the customer; and\n\tRequiring the DOL to prepare a report on the amount and location of call center work being performed.\n \nThe legislation is supported by the Communications Workers of America.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-starts-busy-district-work-period-visits-oxford-franklin-waldo-and", "Golden Starts Busy District Work Period with Visits to Oxford, Franklin, Waldo, and Hancock Counties", "2019-08-06", "2019", "2019-08", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "LEWISTON  Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) had a busy start to the August district work period,meeting with Mainers throughout the Second District. Since taking office in January, the congressman has visited more than 68 towns and cities in the Second District.\nOver the weekend, the congressman wrote an op-ed that was published in the Lewiston Sun Journal. In the op-ed, Golden laid out his reasoning for not supporting impeachment and made the case that Congress would better serve Americans by focusing on getting things done on issues like prescription drugs and infrastructure.\nCongressman Golden started off the district work period at a coffee hour with constituents in Dixfield. At Ellis Variety, Golden discussed everything from breaking through the dysfunction and party politics in Washington to lowering healthcare costs.\n\nAfterwards, the congressman toured the Nine Dragons (ND) Paper Mill in Rumford. At the mill, Golden met both management and workers at the mill. He heard about the long-term investment ND is making into the Rumford facility, as well as their work to create safer environments for their workers.\nLater that day, Congressman Golden joined the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce for a small business roundtable. The congressman has placed a priority on convening local small businesses to hear how he can help connect them with resources and use his position on the House Small Business Committee to help them succeed. Participants at the Bethel roundtable discussed several issues, including improving rural infrastructure and increasing access to broadband. As Congress convenes in September, Golden will be looking to introduce new legislation designed to help small businesses connect to local broadband infrastructure.\nThe next day, Golden stopped by Hidden Valley Camp in Freedom, where he had the opportunity to talk with the campers and apprentices about the important role artists play in Maine.\nFollowing the camp tour, Golden joined park rangers, state legislators, and advocates at Acadia National Park to get a first-hand look at the park's deteriorating infrastructure. Many of Acadia's buildings, roads, and bridges have not been updated in decades and are now falling into disrepair. At the event, the congressman urged passage of the bipartisan Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act, which he has cosponsored.\nCongressman Golden closed out the week by visiting the Wilton Blueberry Festival on Saturday. Golden had an early start to the day flipping bacon for the annual blueberry pancake breakfast before attending the parade later in the day.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3125", "Pingree Statement on Mass Shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio", "2019-08-04", "2019", "2019-08", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Portland, Maine Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today released the following statement regarding two mass within the past 24 hours:\r\nI'm devastated and angry about the horrific gun slaughter of at least 29 people in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio within the past 24 hours. The House has passed common sense legislation to address gun violence but the Senate refuses to act. This is absolutely unacceptable. My heart is broken for the victims of the gun violence in El Paso and Dayton. These murderers have robbed dozens of their livesand all Americans of the safety we should feel while going about our daily routines.\r\nI was waiting for all of the facts to unfold before commenting on what happened in Texas yesterday, but it's clear that this killer was radicalized to commit an act of domestic terrorism. It's outrageous that President Trump has disbanded the Department of Homeland Security's domestic terror intelligence unit as acts of hate continue to plague our communities. Last week numerous people were killed while attending a garlic festival in Gilroy, California by a man holding similar extreme and hateful beliefs as the El Paso murderer. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I've worked to restore funds to counter domestic extremism.\r\nBACKGROUND:\r\nEarlier this year, the U.S. House passedH.R. 8, universal the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019, which would expand the current federal background check system to cover nearly all firearm sales. The U.S. House also passedH.R. 1112, a bill to close the so-called Charleston loophole that allowed Dylann Roof to purchase the firearm he used to kill nine African Americans before the FBI could finish its background check.Pingree voted for both bills.\r\nIt has beenwidely reportedthat the Trump administration has disbanded the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) domestic terror intelligence unit.As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Pingree worked to include language in the FY2020 spending bill to:\r\n \r\n    require the Office of Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention broaden its scope to counter domestic extremism and provide a report back to the Committee\r\n    invest $5 million to support Unsolved Civil RightsCrimesfunding\r\n    direct the FBI to update a 2008 report on White Supremacy Recruitment since 9/11 and provide data about the use of electronic media in the commission ofhate crimes.\r\n \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3124", "Pingree, Newhouse Introduce House Bill to Standardize Food Date Labels, Cut Food Waste", "2019-08-01", "2019", "2019-08", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Pingree, Newhouse Introduce House Bill to Standardize Food Date Labels, Cut Food Waste\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C.U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Dan Newhouse (R-Washington) today introduced the bipartisan Food Date Labeling Act, a bill designed to end consumer confusion around food date labeling and ensure Americans do not throw out perfectly good food. Studies have shown that Americans are confused by food date labels, resulting in a significant amount of edible food ending up in landfills. H.R. 3981 will reduce food waste by standardizing date labels on food products.\r\nEstimates indicate that around 90% of Americans prematurely throw out perfectly safe food, in part because of confusion about what date labels mean, meanwhile 38.4 million Americans are food insecure,said Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, co-chair of the Bipartisan Food Recovery Caucus.This bill is an opportunity for the federal government to reduce confusion across the food supply chain and make sure no one is going hungry or inadvertently hurting our environment. With this piece of legislation, we can help ensure food is being used and eaten, rather than thrown out due to confusion.\r\nFood labeling is important for consumer education, but the current practice is confusing and outdated. This bill takes a step toward reducing food waste by helping consumers understand the meaning behind date labels. The legislation also helps restaurants and grocery stores bridge the gap when it comes to donating food to shelters, food banks and other charitable organizations. I am proud to serve with Representative Pingree as co-chair of the Food Recovery Caucus as we work to help Americans waste less and save money,said Congressman Dan Newhouse (R-Washington).\r\nMost Americans don't know the best by' date label on items at the grocery store aren't based on safety or science. These completely arbitrary food date labels are confusing and costly for customers. Our commonsense measure to establish a uniform national date labeling system would provide consumers with clarityhelping them save money on their grocery bills and preventing perfectly safe food from going to waste,said Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) who has introduced the Senate companion bill.\r\nAt present, there are no federal regulations related to date labels on food products, aside from infant formula. Date labeling regulations are left up to states, which means consumers are left trying to sort out a patchwork of confounding terms. Sell by, use by, freshest on, and expires on are just a few of the phrases currently being used on food products. The bipartisan Food Date Labeling Act establishes an easily understood food date labeling systemBEST If Used By communicates to consumers that the quality of the food product may begin to deteriorate after the date and USE By communicates the end of the estimated period of shelf life, after which the product should not be consumed. Under the legislation, food manufacturers will decide which food products carry a quality date or a discard date. The Pingree-Newhouse legislation will also allow food to be sold or donated after its labeled quality date, helping more perfectly good food reach those who need it.\r\nForty percent of all food produced in the U.S. is wasted, costing our nation $161 billion annually. It is estimated that if all food waste represented an individual country, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases globally. Domestic food production accounts for 50% of U.S. land use, 80% of fresh water consumption, and 10% of our total energy budget. Consequently, recovering food helps to ensure that the hard work and resources that go into producing food is not wasted.\r\nPingree has long recognized that food waste reduction is a win-win, bringing both environmental and economic benefits. Pingree first introduced a version of the date labeling bill, as well as the more comprehensive Food Recovery Act, in the 113th Congress. In the spring of 2018, she launched Congress's first-ever Bipartisan Food Recovery Caucus with former Congressman David Young (R-Iowa), on which she currently serves as co-chair with Congressman Newhouse The 2018 Farm Bill included her provisions to create the first full-time food loss and waste liaison at USDA, a composting and food waste reduction pilot program, as well as the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) to reduce on-farm waste.\r\nFollowing a request for study made by Pingree and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) in October 2017, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report with recommendations on how the federal government can expand its efforts to reduce food waste in June. Another GAO report focused on food date labeling will be published this fall.\r\nINDUSTRY AND ADVOCACY STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT FOR THE FOOD DATE LABELING ACT\r\nKristen Miale, President of Good Shepherd Food Bank:Good Shepherd Food Bank supports this effort to improve date labels on food items. By making it easier for people to understand how long a food item may be safely eaten, this legislation will prevent all families from unnecessarily throwing away consumable food.\r\nSustainable Food Policy Alliance:RepresentativePingreeand Representative Newhouse's proposal to streamline dates on food labels is a common sense approach to fight food waste by providing consistent and clear definitions for quality and safety dates. Wasting wholesome, safe food harms consumers' budgets and the environment, yet the problem is often preventable. Importantly,their billwould eliminate a patchwork of different state laws regarding date labels and would make it easier for food banks to receive donations. The Sustainable Food Policy Alliance applauds this legislation and thanks RepresentativePingreeand Representative Newhousefortheirhard work.\r\nHannah Semler, Whole Crops /FarmDrop.us:Congresswoman Pingree's efforts on food loss and waste are leading the country in a new direction around food resourcefulness and economic efficiency. Families deserve to know when food is good to eat, rather than wasting hard earned money because of confusing and sometimes misleading date labeling. The work being done in Washington, led by the Congresswoman and her team, is the right thing to do in support of customers' right to precise information on when product is good to eat, and when it should be used, frozen or thrown out.\r\nChris Hood, President, Kellogg North America:We applaud Representative Pingree and Representative Newhouse for their leadership to standardize product code date labels to provide greater clarity and reduce consumer confusion that can often lead to unnecessary food waste. As part of our next-generationKellogg's Better Dayscommitment, we pledged to reduce organic waste by 50 percent, including food waste,across our facilities. Kellogg is committed to doing our part to combat food waste and to empower our consumers with information to make informed decisions.\r\nJackie Suggitt, Stakeholder Engagement Director, ReFED:Standardized date labeling is one of the most cost-effective solutions for driving reductions in wasted food, and a significant amount of groundwork has been laid. However, there continue to be barriers to adoption for food manufacturers, including highly varied state-level requirements around both the date label language and the ability to donate food past the labeled date. ReFED supports federal policy efforts that overcome these barriers and accelerate food waste reduction.\r\nElizabeth Balkan, Food Waste Director at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): Tons of perfectly good food and money is trashed every day because of confusing date labels. That adds up to a staggering amount of climate pollution, wasted water, and missed opportunities to feed people in need. By standardizing food date labels nationwide and educating people about what they mean, this legislation will help reducethis unnecessary waste.\r\nEmily Broad Leib, Director, Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic:Our years of research on date labels have shown that confusion over these labels is one of the leading causes of food waste in the U.S. 84% of consumers throw food away after the date, even though for most foods the date is just an indicator of quality or taste. Fortunately, this is also one of the most solvable issues  standard date labels that distinguish between quality dates and discard dates can make clear what these dates mean and help reduce waste at businesses, households, and food banks. I am thrilled to see the leadership Rep. Pingree has taken in introducing this commonsense legislation that can make it easier to reduce food waste and make sure safe, wholesome food gets eaten.\r\nSally Greenberg, Executive Director, National Consumers League:NCL supportsRepresentative Pingree and Representative Newhouse for their bold leadership to prevent the epidemic of food waste.\r\nRegina Anderson, Executive Director, Food Recovery Network:Forty percent of all food produced in America is wasted, while at the same time, one in six of our neighbors is unsure where her next meal will come from. Food is wasted on farms, throughout the supply chain, by consumers and by institutions. Since 2011, Food Recovery Network's student leaders have safely recovered and packaged more than 3.9 million pounds of perfectly good food that would have otherwise gone to waste from college and university campuses and donated it to community members in need. In addition to providing these millions of meals to people and not to landfills, students have raised the profile of food waste and hunger as major issues with practical solutions. At a grassroots level, FRN's work has educated countless people on the negative effects of wasting food, while providing a scalable model that fits the needs of diverse communities across the country.\r\nJostein Solheim,EVP, Foods & Refreshment, Unilever North America:Unilever applaudsRepresentatives Chellie Pingree and Dan Newhouse'slegislation to reducefood waste by streamlining dates on food labels and providing consistent and clear definitions for quality and safety dates, amongst other food waste reduction initiatives. Unilever has already voluntarily implemented the date labelling on its food and refreshment products. Codifying this into law will help with consumer confusion and lead to less food waste. We believe that it is important to address food waste for environmental and social benefits, and thisbill is an important step in the right direction.\r\nCarrieCalvert,Managing Director, Agriculture & Nutrition Government Relations, Feeding America:Date labelingis a confusing issue, and contributes not only to the amount of food consumers waste each year, but to confusion from businesses, nonprofits, and individuals when they want to donate excess food to those in need. Feeding America commends Representatives Pingree and Newhouse for leading the way on this issue and proposing a solution that would help not only increase the amount of food safely donated, but would also help consumers save money and throw out less food.\r\nPete Pearson, Senior Director, Food Loss and Waste, World Wildlife Fund:The private sector canplay a central role reducingfood wastewith improveddate labeling, measurement, and public transparency. Wewelcome this bill, and areeager to see progress accelerated.\r\nTerri J. Raymond, MA, RDN, LD, FAND, President, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:\"Food waste is one of the most pressing challenges of our time and one that is solvable. Registered dietitian nutritionists, particularly those who are members of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, are in a unique position: We can influence both consumer and institutional habits related to food safety and waste. This legislation will standardize date labeling for quality and safety across products and will educate the public on the new labeling system. This is a necessary step in addressing waste throughout the country's entire food supply.\"\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-challenges-administration-proposal-undermines-union-apprenticeship", "Golden Challenges Administration Proposal that Undermines Union Apprenticeship Programs", "2019-07-31", "2019", "2019-07", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) wrote to Acting Labor Secretary Patrick Pizzella to raise concerns with the Department of Labor's proposed changes to Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs). The agency's proposed rule would likely weaken standards for apprenticeship programs and lead to rushed, dangerous, and less valuable apprenticeships for both workers and employers.\nOur country's long standing registered apprenticeship system has a strong record of success. Registered apprenticeship sponsors particularly labor unions and their industry partners  invest billions of dollars annually in these apprenticeships because they pay significant returns to both businesses and workers. Businesses gain a skilled, reliable labor force that efficiently and safely performs high-quality work, Congressman Golden wrote.\nAlong with directly impacting labor unions representing thousands of workers in my district, [the Department's proposed] rule could destroy the registered apprenticeship system that has long been established by those unions as a pathway to successful careers, continued Golden. The proposed IRAPs rule could lead to quick, cheap, dangerous, and low-quality apprenticeships... I agree that we need to grow the number of apprenticeships in our country and expand them into emerging fields. Letting businesses run cheaper, weaker apprenticeship programs would be penny wise and pound foolish. I respectfully urge you to reject the IRAPs rule as currently proposed.\nFor decades, unions and industry partners have invested billions in successful registered apprenticeship programs that meet rigorous, verified standards for minimum hours of classroom instruction and on-the-job training, safe facilities and equipment, and steadily increasing wages over the course of the apprenticeship. The standards are enforced by neutral, qualified third parties to ensure compliance. As a result, apprentices earn a nationally-recognized credential and employers are assured they're hiring qualified, well-trained workers. Workers who go through recognized apprenticeship programs earn approximately $300,000 more during their career than non-apprenticeship workers.\nIn contrast, the IRAPs programs laid out in the Department of Labor's proposed rule would allow individual businesses to enforce standards on their own apprenticeship programs. Without an impartial watchdog, some businesses could choose to cut corners to boost profits, leading to shorter, less rigorous, and less valuable apprenticeships.\nYou can read the full letter here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-votes-protect-retirement-american-workers", "Golden Votes to Protect Retirement for American Workers", "2019-07-25", "2019", "2019-07", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) helped pass legislation he cosponsored this week to save the pensions of at least 1.3 million American workers and retirees. The Rehabilitation Multiemployer Pensions Act, known as the Butch Lewis Act, would take steps to keep multiemployer pensions solvent and continue to provide long-term retirement security for retirees and workers.\nWe tell Americans that if they work hard during their career, they'll earn a secure retirement, said Congressman Golden. Unless we act, that promise will soon be broken for more than a million workers. Forces out of their control, including Wall Street greed, are putting their pensions at risk. I'm proud to work across the aisle to pass this bill that would not only save the retirements of these workers, but also save money for taxpayers, employers, and the communities in which these workers and retirees live.\nIn the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) estimates that approximately 130 multiemployer pensions plans, covering 1.3 million participants, are projected to be insolvent within the next 20 years. By 2025, some retirees who paid into these pension plans could then see their pensions cut by 90 percent or more.\nCongressional inaction on the multiemployer plans could cost taxpayers more than $170 billion over 10 years, according to one estimate. The Butch Lewis Act is projected to cost $48.5 billion over the same period.\nThe Butch Lewis Act will establish an agency within the U.S. Department of Treasury called the Pension Rehabilitation Administration (PRA) that would allow the threatened pension plans to borrow the money they need to stay solvent through Treasury-issued bonds to financial institutions.\nThe Butch Lewis Act has the support of the labor community, including AFL-CIO, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), National Association of Police Organizations, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), United Steelworkers (USW), and more.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3122", "Rep. Pingrees Bill to Preserve Working Waterfronts Gets First Hearing in 116th Congress", "2019-07-25", "2019", "2019-07", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) testified before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife in support of her bill, H.R. 3596, theKeep America'sWaterfrontsWorkingAct.The bill would create aWorking Waterfront Grant Program and establish aWorkingWaterfront Task Force at the Department of Commerce. Pingree's bipartisan bill was one of nine heard in committee on coastal zone management. \r\nTo watch Pingree's remarks before the committee, click here.\r\n\r\nPingree first introduced legislation to protectworkingwaterfrontsin the 111thCongress. In the 116thCongress, the Democratic majority has prioritized addressing climate change, including its effects on our oceans; this legislation is an important step to help support coastal communities faced with these impacts; earlier this year, her bill on the effects of ocean acidification on coastal communities, H.R. 1716, passed the House unanimously.\r\nIn the face of rising sea levels and the intensifying climate crisis, Pingree's bill seeks to preserve the character of coastal communities by protecting jobs, commercial activities, and public access to America's coast.H.R. 3596would:\r\n \r\n    establish aWorkingWaterfront Grant Program to provide matching, competitive grants to coastal states to help preserve and expand access to coastal waters for water-dependent businesses\r\n    create a five-year pilot for a loan fund for waterfront preservation, modeled after state drinking water loans\r\n    authorize $12 million each for both the loan and grant programs\r\n    organize aWorkingWaterfront Task Force at the Department of Commerce to identify and prioritize critical needs forworking waterfronts, especially in the face of the climate crisis and increased trade threats.\r\n \r\nWater-dependent commercial activities are the economic and cultural heart of many coastal communities.Workingwaterfrontssupport thousands of Maine jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity, but due to development pressures, they have been reduced to just 20 miles of Maine's coastline, which measures over 5,000 miles.\r\nPingree haslong advocated for federal resources to help Maine communitiespreserve and expand shoreline access and infrastructure for water-dependent industries, such as fishing, boat building, and aquaculture.\r\nSTATEMENTS OF SUPPORT FOR PINGREE'S BILL FROM MAINE\r\nThe working waterfront is an anchor for coastal communities throughout the country but especially here in Maine. They provide a space for commonality, work, and human connection and are the gateway to the healthy sustainable seafood Maine and other American fishermen harvest. It is imperative that we invest in this essential infrastructure to support local food systems, creates good jobs, and protects future opportunities in the blue economy.Monique Coombs, Maine Coast Fishermen's Association\r\nWorking waterfronts are an integral part of the soul and character of the nation's coasts. In Maine, voters approved a visionary grant program to start protecting working waterfronts because residents and industry value these places and understand their critical role in the economy and culture of the state.Congresswoman Pingreetakes this proven approach to the national level, finally giving states, the federal government and stakeholders the opportunity to work together to identify the highest priority waterfront properties for industry and implement a plan of action to Keep America's Waterfronts Working.Natalie Springuel, Maine Sea Grant\r\nThe National Working Waterfront Network (NWWN) supports H.R. 3596, the Keep America's Waterfronts Working Act.The NWWN increases the capacity of those who rely on, support, and enhance our nation's working waterfronts and waterways to ensure continued viability.Keep America's Waterfronts Working Actwill provide opportunities for meaningful dialogue, funding and planning for our working waterfronts.Nicole Faghin, National Working Waterfront Network\r\nThe full text of Pingree's testimony is as follows:\r\nThank you, Chairman Huffman and Ranking Member McClintock for giving me the opportunity to testify today about my bill: the Keep America's Waterfronts Working Act.\r\nThroughout my time in Congress, I have advocated for the needs and priorities of coastal communities and those who use our working waterfronts. I am grateful to have this platform to discuss this bill with you today.\r\nLike me, I know members of this Subcommittee hear regularly from their constituents who make a living on the water. Whether they are boatbuilders from the West Coast, recreational fishing guides in the Gulf of Mexico, or commercial fishermen and aquaculture business owners in New England, the refrain is the same: water-dependent businesses from coast to coast need our help. They want us to preserve access to the working waterfronts that make their livelihoods possible and keep our coastal economies thriving.\r\nLast year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that, the ocean and Great Lakes economy directly supports more thanthree million jobsand contributesmore than $350 billionto the nation's gross domestic product.[i]But this infusion of revenue, jobs, and business opportunities will only continue if we invest in the nation's coastal infrastructure.\r\nIn Maine, our lobster industry alone contributesone billion dollarsper year to the state economy and supports 4,000 jobs throughout the state. This is on top of the dockside value of lobsters brought home by fishermen, which totaled $484 million in 2018.\r\nMaine's aquaculture industry is growing rapidly. Right now, it generates $138 million for our state's economy each year, as well as $56 million in wages and nearly 1100 jobs.\r\nBoatbuilding is another of our state's oldest industries, and it is directly tied to the success of the coastal economy. Maine has nearly 80 boatbuilding businesses employing approximately 1400 workers, with wages totaling about $59 million per year.\r\nOur fishermen and seafood harvesters in Maine are deeply concerned about the future of their industries. They see climate-driven changes in our oceans every day. Shifting species ranges, shrinking fish stocks, acidifying waters, heightened storm surgesthe list goes on. When fishermen can't rely on their past experiences and hard-earned knowledge of their local waters, it makes fishing much more difficult.\r\nUnfortunately, fishermen and other traditional waterfront users are now coming up against another challenge. Across the country, working waterfronts are rapidly disappearing under pressure from incompatible development. And once our working waterfronts are gone, they are almost always gone forever. When our fishermen have to grapple with losing fishing wharves, seafood processing and auction facilities, and other essential infrastructure in addition to the challenges of fishing in our changing oceans, it puts the survival of our coastal communities and economies at risk.\r\nIt's up to elected leaders to support the industries that our coastal communities depend on. At the state level in Maine, we created the Working Waterfront Access Protection Program in 2005, which has funded projects at twenty-five working waterfronts since its founding. This year, six projects have received grant funding through the program. Among the recipients are fishing co-ops, coastal municipalities, and fishing wharves. The funding awards will be used to increase access to the waterfront by building new wharves and repairing old ones, as well as by creating critical dockside infrastructure like parking, fuel tanks, and bait freezers. Although this program has been very successful, the federal government must do more to preserve and sustain our working waterfronts in every coastal state.\r\nAt the federal level, we can support the great work that states are already doing by giving them access to funding and other resources. We don't need to duplicate effort, but we can provide more resources and tools for states to preserve coastal economies.\r\nWith this in mind, I have been proud to work across the aisle with my colleagues, including Congressman Wittman of Virginia, to create bipartisan solutions that can work for all of our coastal communities.\r\nThe bill before us today, the Keep America's Waterfronts Working Act of 2019, would amend the Coastal Zone Management Act to create competitive loan and matching grant programs dedicated to working waterfront preservation and improvement projects, as well as preserving public access to the coast. $12 million would be authorized for each program. This bill would let states allocate funding to eligible local governments, nonprofits, and fishing co-ops. We chose to include both grant and loan funding sources after discussions with local stakeholders who explained the benefits that both kinds of financing options would have for them.\r\nThis bill would also establish a Working Waterfronts Task Force within the Department of Commerce to identify the needs of coastal communities related to changing environments, marketplace pressures, trade barriers, and other threats.\r\nThe programs created by this bill are voluntary, meaning that each state can choose to act on this opportunity or not. Through the creation of statewide working waterfront plans, each state, rather than Congress or federal agencies, can identify their own needs and create their own plans to address the problems faced by their working waterfronts. We chose to structure the program this way after discussions with the Maine Department of Marine Resources and the office of the former Governor of Maine, and we are very appreciative to have received their input on this bill.\r\nIt has been gratifying to hear so many proposals to solve the problems facing our coastal communities at today's hearing. I strongly believe that working waterfronts are an integral part of our coastal economies, communities, and traditions, and we must do our part to make sure that they survive into the future. I would welcome the opportunity for the Subcommittee to move this bill. I would also like to submit to the record letters of support from my constituents from for the record.\r\nIn closing, I'd like to share the words of one of my constituents from Orr's Island\r\nI've been a lobsterman for almost 30 years but I've depended on and cared about the health of the waterfront and Gulf of Maine for my entire life. Living in a coastal community and utilizing the working waterfront has never been an issue for me but climate change and a population that is shifting in my community are concerning to me. We need resources and financing to make sure the future of the working waterfront for fishing or boat building or kayaking are able to survive the many changes that we are seeing. These are the businesses that keep the lights on in coastal communities year-round and provide the life-blood for many families living on the coast. Most importantly, it is more than just a place of doing business, it is the heart of the community.\r\nThank you for the opportunity to testify today.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/lobstermen-potato-blossoms-and-rural-investment-golden-packs-busy-weekend", "Lobstermen, Potato Blossoms, and Rural Investment: Golden Packs Busy Weekend in Second District", "2019-07-24", "2019", "2019-07", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) packed his schedule with events and meetings from Stonington to Fort Fairfield this weekend, continuing to prioritize time spent talking with and listening to his constituents.\nOn Friday, Golden joined the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) for a meeting to discuss resources federal agencies can offer to towns and small businesses in East Millinocket. Golden heard from the agencies and towns present at the meeting and gave an update on his work as Chairman of the House Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Infrastructure. The meeting was attended by multiple federal agencies, as well as eight towns in the greater Katahdin Region.\nAfter the SBA meeting, Congressman Golden visited Curtis Harrison's family farm in New Limerick. Harrison  Maine Potato Board 2019 Young Farmer of the Year  and Golden met in Washington, DC near the start of his term. Golden took the opportunity to learn more about the award-winning farmer's operation.\nLater in the day, Golden and Collins went on a joint tour of the Lousiana-Pacific Corporation Mill in New Limerick. During their tour, the members of Congress had the opportunity to meet some of the 150 workers at the mill and view the results of LP's substantial investments in the region.\nCongressman Golden continued his Aroostook County visits later Friday at the Border Patrol stations in Houlton and Fort Fairfield. He was given a tour of the stations and used the opportunity to learn how he can support the work of Maine's Border Patrol officers who secure the more than 600 miles of border between Maine and Canada.\nThe Maine Potato Blossom Festival drew thousands of Mainers to Fort Fairfield on Friday and Saturday, including Golden. He began Saturday running the Potato Blossom 5-Miler before joining the parade and talked with potato blossom fans from across the state alongside Maine State Representative Dave McCrea.\nTraveling down to Stonington Sunday, Congressman Golden continued his months-long effort to stand up for lobstermen against new, misguided regulations coming down from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). He joined marine scientists, state representatives and officials, Governor Janet Mills, Senator Collins, Representative Chellie Pingree (ME-01), the Maine Lobstermen's Association, and the Lobster 207 union for a meeting on the available data on right whale distribution and migration trends.\nAfter the meeting, Congressman Golden joined hundreds of Maine lobstermen from up and down Maine's coast for a rally in Stonington to protest the impact of NOAA's proposed rules on the lobster fishery and to call for a more data-driven process. After hearing from the lobstermen, local and state leaders, and other members of the delegation, Golden took the mic to commend Maine's lobstering community for their advocacy, noting that they had managed to bring together a remarkable coalition from across the political spectrum.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3121", "Pingree Statement on Special Counsel Muellers Testimony before the House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees", "2019-07-24", "2019", "2019-07", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) releasedthe following statement regarding Special Counsel Mueller's testimony before the House Judiciary and Intelligence Committeesabouthis two-year investigation of Russian election interference:\r\nAll of our intelligence agenciesfromthe CIA and FBI to the NSAhave reached the same conclusion as Special Counsel Mueller: Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election in a sweeping and systematic fashion. It's crazy this even needs to be said, but any foreign attack on our nation should be handled seriously by our Commander in Chief. Yet, Mr. Mueller made clear that President Trump has not responded appropriately to this foreign attackinstead he has obstructed the Department of Justice's investigation.\r\nToday the Special Counsel testified that President Trump made multiple attempts to obstruct his investigation into foreign election interference, including lying to investigators. As a decorated former Marine and former director of the FBI under Republican and Democratic presidents,Mr. Mueller todayemphasized the gravity of these obstruction findings andreiterated that his report does not exonerate President Trump of impeachable acts.He told the House Judiciary Committee, obstruction of justice strikes at the core of the government's effort to find the truth and to hold wrongdoers accountable.' Mr. Mueller is absolutely right. Congress's constitutional role is to be a check on the Executive branch. These hearings were an important step to hold this Administration accountable for failing to mitigate foreign election interference.\r\nEvery President of the United States swears an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies,foreign and domestic. Itis indefensible that President Trump did not do everything in his power to help with the investigation into Russia's indisputable attack our democracy.It's for this reason that I have called for an official impeachment inquiry.\r\n\r\nBACKGROUND\r\nRECENT STATEMENTS ON MUELLER INVESTIGATION\r\nOn March 24, when Attorney General Barr released afour-page summaryof the 448-page Mueller Report was released.Pingree said:\r\nThe American public needs more than a four-page summary from the President's hand-picked Attorney General to determine the scope of the Mueller investigation's findings.\r\nOn April 18,when Attorney General Barr held a press conference about the Mueller Report without releasing the report,Pingree demanded full public release of the report, saying:\r\nThe Attorney General must be loyal to the rule of law, not the executive. We learned today that President Trump's lawyers saw the findings of Special CounselMueller's investigation before the United States Congress and before the American people. That is not acceptable. Even now, we still have not seen the complete findings. The abridged version we received is no substitute for the unvarnished truth, especially given the indisputable and disturbing certainty that Russia hacked our election. The fullreportshould be released to Congress without redaction and Mr.Muellershould testify before Congress about his findings.\r\nOn May 2,Pingree called for Attorney GeneralWilliam Barr to resignbecause of hismishandling of Mueller investigation, refusal to answer questions before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and to appear before the House Judiciary Committee. Pingree said:\r\nMembers of the panel asked concise, direct questions about Mr. Barr's treatment of the Mueller Report and probe. In response, AG Barr obfuscated or outright lied about his actions. That he has worked to cover up Mr. Mueller's findings to shield President Trump is no longer in any question. Mr. Barr is not impartial and for the good of his country he should step down from his post.\r\n\r\nOn May 29, after Special Counsel Mueller's 10-minute news conference, emphasizing that his reportdid not exonerate the President,Pingree called foran impeachment inquirysaying:\r\nThe 116th Congress has been stonewalled at every turn by President Trump and his allies as we've exercised our legitimate oversight power seeking answers on Russian interference in our elections and other matters. The President's unwillingness to cooperate with Congress, particularly on a matter relating to a foreign attack on our democracy, is an insult to our system of coequal branches of government.\r\nThe Constitution provides a process for Congress to hold the Executive accountable for wrongdoing because no one is above the law. As dozens of serious investigations into President Trump and his business interests are underway in state and federal courts, I believe it is in the public interest that Congress continue its own investigations in the face of unprecedented obstruction and move toward an impeachment inquiry.\r\nUPHOLDING THE INTEGRITY OF FUTURE ELECTIONS\r\nDespite two years of inaction by the previous House leadership, House Democrats have made election security a top priority. Last month, Pingree voted to passH.R. 3501 The SAFE Actwhich would increase elections funding, require paper ballots, and mandate cybersecurity protections and notifications.\r\nPingree is also a cosponsor ofH.R. 2424, the Duty Report Act, which would make it unlawful for campaigns and candidates to fail to report offers from foreign nationals to the FBI, andH.R. 3501, the Safeguard Our Elections and Combat Unlawful Interference in Our Democracy Act, which would prevent foreign money loopholes.\r\nThis press release is onlinehere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-votes-give-workers-raise", "Golden Votes to Give Workers a Raise", "2019-07-18", "2019", "2019-07", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) helped pass historic legislation that would gradually increase paychecks for thousands of workers across the state. The legislation is projected to raise the wages of more than a third of workers in Maine's Second District, grow the economy, and help working families get ahead. The measure will also level the field for Maine businesses as they currently compete against businesses with lower state minimum wages.\nThere's something wrong when, even as our economy is strong and business is good, many folks work hard at a full-time job and still struggle to pay their bills, said Congressman Golden. Many workers are effectively making less than they did decades ago because wages have not kept up with inflation and the rising cost of living. I'm proud to join my colleagues to raise wages for working people. Maine took a similar common-sense step years ago and it's past time Congress took action to help workers across the country as well.\nThe Raise the Wage Act would gradually increase the federal minimum hourly wage from $7.50 to $15 by the year 2025. After 2025, the bill would index the minimum wage to the national median wage.\nOur state's minimum wage will likely rise to $15 an hour in roughly the next decade, continued Golden. The Raise the Wage Act ensures businesses in the rest of the country have to pay their workers at least as much as businesses in our state, helping Maine businesses compete on a national level well into the future.\nThe Raise the Wage Act will help Maine businesses compete with their competitors in other states. Absent the new legislation, businesses in other states, particularly New Hampshire, would be at a serious competitive advantage to Maine businesses because the out-of-state businesses can pay their workers significantly less. Maine is already on track to raise its own minimum hourly wage to $15 in approximately the next decade, regardless of changes in federal law. In 2016, Maine voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum to increase the state's minimum hourly wage from $7.50 to $12 by January 2020, and peg the wage to inflation after 2020.\nResearch shows that areas that raise their minimum wages see higher pay with no discernible employment losses. Further, Maine's own projections support that trend. According to the Maine Center for Economic Policy, recent increases in the state's minimum wage will boost pay for 143,000 Mainers in 2019, even as the state's job growth and employee hours have remained stable.\nIn the state legislature, Golden supported efforts to raise the minimum wage and fought for the referendum that increased the minimum hourly wage to $12.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3116", "Pingree Statement on Governor Mills Decision to Make GA Funds Available to Prospective Asylum Seekers", "2019-07-18", "2019", "2019-07", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01) released the following statement in response to GovernorMills'announcementthat the state will allow an influx ofprospectiveasylum seekers who've come to Portland to apply for General Assistance (GA):\r\nGovernor Mills' decision to expand general assistance funds statewide is pragmatic and a reflection of Maine's values. She has shown tremendous leadership in the face of this humanitarian crisisas have City of Portland officials and Mainers themselves. When hundreds ofpeoplefleeing conflict arrived in Portland, the community responded by opening their doors and donating thousands of dollars to support their needs.\r\nWith the oldest workforce in the nation and record low unemployment, Maine cannot afford to turn away people who want to make a fresh start here. In the short-term, asylum seekers need the state's support while they put down roots and wait for their work permitting to be approved. Right now, I am working at the federal level to shorten the waiting time for asylum seekers to work. The 180-day waiting period is arbitrary, unnecessary, and based on a law written two decades ago. It's beyond time that we amend it to meet the challenges of 2019.\r\nBACKGROUND:\r\nIn Congress, Pingree recently re-introduced a work authorization bill to allow asylum seekers to work earlier. The Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act would reduce the current 180 day waiting period for work authorization to 30 days. Thus, an asylum seeker could apply for authorization as soon as the asylum claim is filed. The bill makes no changes to law or regulation relating to the asylum process. This arbitrary waiting period of 180 days denies Maine businesses access to an able-bodied workforce at a time when they desperately need employees.This could have an impact on these new asylum seekersallowing them to work and be self-sufficient through the process of establishing roots in this community.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-helps-pass-bipartisan-bill-protect-maine-workers-health-insurance-tax", "Golden Helps Pass Bipartisan Bill to Protect Maine Workers from Health Insurance Tax", "2019-07-17", "2019", "2019-07", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) voted today to pass legislation that would protect workers' health care benefits from additional taxes. The House passed the Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act  a bill cosponsored by Golden  which would permanently repeal the Affordable Care Act's Cadillac Tax.' The Cadillac Tax is a 40% excise tax on certain employer-sponsored health insurance plans, a tax likely to be passed on to workers in the form of higher insurance premiums or the loss of quality health benefits.\nWorkers already struggle with high health care costs, Congressman Golden said. We need solutions that expand access to affordable health care coverage, without penalizing workers who have negotiated for quality health care benefits for themselves and their families. Repealing the Cadillac Tax is a common-sense, bipartisan proposal to ensure workers' health care benefits aren't taxed.\nThe Cadillac Tax' is a 40 percent excise tax placed on certain high-cost employer-sponsored health care, including many union-backed health plans, that has not yet gone into effect. The tax applies to employers and employee contributions, contributions to health savings accounts, health reimbursement arrangements, and medical flexible spending accounts. The Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act would repeal the Cadillac Tax.\nThe Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that unless employers were to reduce the generosity of their health insurance plans, 1 in 5 employers  and likely their employees  would be affected by the tax if it comes into effect in 2022 as current law requires.\nThe legislation has the support of many of labor groups, including the AFL-CIO, USW, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, American Federation of Teachers, National Nurses United, International Association of Firefighters, and many more.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3114", "VIDEO: In Hearing, Pingree Pushes USDA on a Final Organic Origin of Livestock Rule", "2019-07-17", "2019", "2019-07", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today in a Biotechnology, Horticulture and Research Subcommittee hearing of the House Committee on Agriculture, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) questioned United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Marketing and Regulatory Programs Undersecretary Greg Ibach on the National Organic Program and the delay in the origin of livestock rulemaking.\r\nIt's completely unacceptable that you're going to suggest that we're going to have a proposed rule this year. We had a proposed rule in 2015. Andthere was a lot of support for it. [Secretary Perdue] said to me well, there are some opinions on either side' No. There are not a lot of opinions on either side,said Pingree in the hearing.This is a real consensus item, and as you've heard some of my colleagues talk about, organic dairy farmers are really challenged by not having this rule and by people basically breaking what should be a ruleThere should be a final rule this year. There should not be a proposed rule, and I do not understand why you're suggesting that there would be.\r\nTo watch or download Pingree's questions in the committee, clickhere.\r\nFor years, the organic community has asked for clarity on standards relating to the origin of organic livestock. Some organic certifiers are currently allowing dairy animals to be continuously transitioned in and out of organic production, while other certifiers correctly enforce the one-time transition of livestock. The Origin of Livestock proposed rule, developed under the Obama Administration in 2015, would have clarified that continuous transition of non-organic livestock into organic production is prohibited. The proposed rule would have leveled the playing field for organic dairy farmers, thus protecting the integrity of the organic label.\r\nPingree sent aletterto Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue in May of 2019, asking him to finalize the origin of livestock rulemaking. Pingree had originally questioned the Secretary on the lack of a consistent origin of organic livestock standard and why the USDA has not finalized the origin of livestock ruling in a House Appropriations Committee hearing in April of 2019. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Pingreesecuredthe inclusion of language directing the USDA to finalize the origin of organic livestock ruling in the FY2020 Agriculture Appropriations Bill that the House passed last month.\r\nSecretary Perdue has claimed that there has been division in industry on the origin of livestock rulemaking; Pingree has pushed the USDA to provide information about any opposition to the rulemaking because the organic community has expressed widespread support for the final rule.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/maine-delegation-usda-consider-aid-blueberry-farmers-tariff-relief-package", "Maine Delegation to USDA: Consider Aid to Blueberry Farmers in Tariff Relief Package", "2019-07-16", "2019", "2019-07", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Jared Golden (D-Maine) sent a letter urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to include the wild blueberry industry in the USDA's Market Facilitation Program. Announced by the USDA in May, the Market Facilitation Program will provide financial aid to agricultural producers affected by China's retaliatory tariffs.\nThe wild blueberry industry has been an integral part of Maine's agricultural heritage since the mid-1800s. Due to the crop's proclivity to grow in rocky, acidic soils and cool climates, Maine is the largest commercial producer of wild blueberries in the world, wrote the Maine Delegation. The majority of farms that grow and process wild blueberries are family-owned. However, recent economic pressures and reduced prices have placed a significant burden on wild blueberry growers, resulting in many growers drastically cutting back on harvesting their crops within the last two years.\nPrior to 2018, wild blueberries had been making steady headway into the Chinese market, as China's imports of all blueberries increased from 1.5 million pounds in 2012, to 19.2 million pounds in 2016, the letter continued. In 2017, Maine exported nearly two million pounds of wild blueberries to China. Due to recent trade disputes, the Chinese export market for Maine wild blueberries has all but vanished. Maine only exported around 75,000 pounds of wild blueberries to China in 2018 Wild blueberry producers have faced tremendous strain due to ongoing trade retaliation and disruption. We strongly request that the USDA take every appropriate action, in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations, to include wild blueberries within the Market Facilitation Program.\nToday's letter marks the Delegation's latest efforts to advocate for Maine agricultural products in trade negotiations. Last week, the Delegation sent a letter urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to include significant funding for Maine's lobster industry as the Department finalizes their aid package for agricultural producers affected by China's retaliatory tariffs. The letter follows up on the Delegation'sinitial request in Juneto provide relief for Maine's lobster industry amidst the ongoing trade war with China.In February, the Maine Delegation wrote two letters urging the Administration to prioritize lobsters and potatoes in the ongoing trade negotiations with China.\nThe full letter can be downloaded HERE or read below:", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-passes-defense-funding-bill-maine-priorities-0", "House Passes Defense Funding Bill with Maine Priorities", "2019-07-15", "2019", "2019-07", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) today. The bill includes a number of important measures pushed for by Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) to support Maine's shipbuilders, servicemembers, universities, and manufacturers. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Golden helped secure authorization in the FY 2020 NDAA for the construction of three DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, at least one of which will be built at Bath Iron Works.\nToday's legislation gives our armed forces the tools they need to defend our country and provides the necessary resources to support good Maine jobs, Congressman Golden said. Mainers all over our state contribute to our national defense, whether they're performing research at universities, serving in the Maine National Guard, or building the finest warships on the planet at Bath.\nIncluded in today's bill is a provision introduced by Golden which directs the Navy to develop a plan to grow and train the workforce necessary to achieve their 30-year shipbuilding goal of a 355-ship fleet.\nThe Golden-supported FY 2020 NDAA included authorization for a 3.1% increase in pay for the nation's servicemembers, the largest increase in a decade and the same amount requested by the Trump Administration. Despite the fact that the bill authorizes more pay for American troops and a historic level of funding for the nation's defense overall, Golden's Republican colleagues broke with almost six decades of bipartisan precedent and withheld their support for this critical bill and the country's servicemembers.\nGolden cast several votes that affirmed the vital role of Congress in authorizing military action.In floor debate for the bill, Golden voted for an amendment that would repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution (AUMF) of 2002. The 2002 AUMF, which provided the Bush Administration with authority to attack Iraq during the reign of Saddam Hussein, has been rendered obsolete and is not needed by the Pentagon to conduct current military operations. Golden also supported an amendment that affirms Congress' authority under the War Powers Resolution and prevents President Trump from a military attack on Iran unless authorized by Congress. Golden also made clear that America must continue to fight Al Qaeda by voting against a measure that supports the termination of the 2001 AUMF passed in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks.\nGolden worked to include many Maine priorities in this year's NDAA, including:\nDDG-1000 Zumwalt-class Upgrades and Maintenance: This provision authorizes additional development funding for the DDG-1000 Zumwalt-class Guided-missile Destroyer program. The provision ensures BIW, as a partner for the DDG-1000 program, can continue its work on the ships.\nThe FFG(X) Frigate Shipbuilding Program: This provision authorizes initial production of the FFG(X) Guided Missile Frigate Shipbuilding Program. The program looks to build a class of 20 FGG(X) frigates over the next 10 years, and BIW is one of four remaining competitors for that contract.\nThe F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program: This provision authorizes the purchase of additional F-35 joint strike fighter aircraft. Hunting Dearborn, which employs more than 250 people in the Fryeburg area, manufactures components for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Additionally, the NDAA funded the purchase of new CH-53K King Stallion helicopters, components for which are also manufactured at Hunting Dearborn's Fryeburg location.\nResearch at the University of Maine: These provisions authorize important research performed at the University of Maine and other institutions, including research into cutting edge composites, thermoplastics, lasers, and other materials.\nPFAS Cleanup and Screening for Bangor Air National Guard Base: This provision makes federal funds accessible to Bangor Air National Guard Base and other National Guard facilities for the cleanup of dangerous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals. PFAS chemicals have been used on military installations for several decades as a firefighting material, but have recently been linked to increased risk of cancer, birth defects, developmental delays in children, and other serious health conditions. Currently, National Guard facilities like the one in Bangor do not have access to funding to perform PFAS remediation.\nThe FY2020 NDAA also includes:\n A tenant bill of rights that protects families in privatized military housing. Earlier this year, Golden joined a bipartisan call for action to address reports of unsafe lead and mold levels in privatized military housing;\n\tRequirements for the Department of Defense to plan for potential threats posed by climate change; and\n\tMeasures to protect the American military from cyber threats.\n With the House's passage of the NDAA, the defense package will now head to conference to reconcile differences between the House and Senate bills.\nCongressman Golden is a member of the House Armed Services Committee. He sits on Seapower and Projection Forces and Tactical Air and Land Subcommittees.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 259, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Democrat", "p1": "ME", "p2": "2019"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=ME&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 259, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=ME&year=2019", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=ME&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 259, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=ME&year=2019&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=ME&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "ME", "label": "ME", "count": 259, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&year=2019", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=ME&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "2019", "label": "2019", "count": 259, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=ME", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2019-07-15,https~3A~2F~2Fgolden~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fmedia~2Fpress-releases~2Fhouse-passes-defense-funding-bill-maine-priorities-0", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=ME&year=2019&_next=2019-07-15%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fgolden~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fmedia~2Fpress-releases~2Fhouse-passes-defense-funding-bill-maine-priorities-0&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 189.62510209530592, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}