{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-announces-release-of-16-million-in-federal-funds-for-auburn-lewiston-airport-upgrades", "Golden announces release of $1.6 million in federal funds for Auburn-Lewiston airport upgrades", "2025-05-16", "2025", "2025-05", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared F. Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", "golden", "https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today announced the release of $1.6 million in previously frozen funds for airport terminal upgrades previously awarded to the Auburn-Lewiston Municipal Airport.\n\n\u201cThis project will support the growth and success of Androscoggin County,\u201d Golden said. \u201cThe release of these funds will allow for the construction of the new hangar and related upgrades to proceed as planned \u2014 improving the airport experience for those who already use it and paving the way for passenger air service in the future. I\u2019m proud to have worked with the Airport\u2019s leadership and the administration to get these funds flowing.\u201d\n\nThe funds were originally secured by Golden as part of the FY2023 Appropriations Process. The Airport sought to draw down the approved funds in January and reached out to Golden two months later when the funds were still not made available. Golden\u2019s office contacted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the Airport\u2019s behalf, and learned the grants were frozen pending review for compliance with executive orders.\n\nThe lack of funding meant the airport was at risk of missing a critical mid-May contractor payment deadline, jeopardizing the project\u2019s future. Over several months, Golden\u2019s office worked with Airport Director Jonathan LaBont\u00e9 to stress the importance of the project and the looming deadline to the FAA and secure the funds\u2019 release.\n\nOn Thursday, the FAA announced the funds would be released.\n\n\"As we position the Auburn-Lewiston Municipal Airport to be the preferred general aviation airport in southern and western Maine, we've quickly run out of space for the pilots wishing to base their aircraft here,\u201d LaBont\u00e9 said. \u201cWith the support of Congressman Golden, additional federal investment will be paired with local and state dollars to construct a 10-unit T-hangar to welcome even more aviators here. In the last two years, we've grown to host a flight school, three aircraft maintenance businesses and dozens more aircraft, in addition to our role hosting a base for LifeFlight of Maine. This new federal investment continues that momentum.\"\n\nOpened in 1935, the Auburn-Lewiston Airport has been a hub for corporate, charter, cargo and recreational aviators for nearly a century.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T00:49:36Z"]], "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"], "primary_key_values": ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-announces-release-of-16-million-in-federal-funds-for-auburn-lewiston-airport-upgrades"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.9388749971985817, "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"}