Press releases
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
- url
- Link to the original release on the member's official site
- text
- Extracted body text (may be empty if the page could not be fetched)
- has_text
- 1 if body text was successfully extracted
- date_source
- How the publication date was determined
- bioguide_id
- Bioguide ID of the member
2,270 rows where party = "Democrat" and state = "ME" sorted by date descending
This data as json, CSV (advanced)
| url | title | date ▲ | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-bipartisan-colleagues-introduce-smile-for-veterans-act | Golden, bipartisan colleagues introduce SMILE for Veterans Act | 2026-09-28 | 2026 | 2026-09 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressmen Jared Golden (ME-02), Jack Bergman (MI-01), Don Davis (NC-01) and Jeff Van Drew (NJ-02) introduced the SMILE for Veterans Act, to expand affordable dental care for veterans in rural communities across the country. “VA health care is an essential benefit for our nation’s veterans, but for too long a lack of dental coverage has been a massive gap in care. The mouth is part of the body, and our veterans shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to get basic dental care. I’m proud to work with Reps. Bergman, Davis and Van Drew on the SMILE for Veterans Act, which takes a smart first step toward more comprehensive coverage by focusing on rural areas where barriers to care are the highest and community providers that can help close the gap,” Golden said. Under current law, only about 15 percent of the nearly nine million veterans enrolled in health care through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are eligible for VA dental services. Eligibility is generally limited to veterans with a service-connected dental condition, a 100 percent disability rating or former prisoner-of-war status. Efforts to broadly expand dental coverage through the VA have faced significant cost and capacity challenges, including the need for additional personnel, facilities, and community-care infrastructure. The SMILE for Veterans Act takes a targeted approach by creating a pilot program to reimburse existing community-based dental providers to serve rural veterans. By leveraging providers and infrastructure already in place, the legislation would expand access to dental care in underserved communities without requiring the VA to build a new system from the ground up. Research from the CareQuest Institute in 2024 found that more than one-third of veterans surveyed rated their oral health as only fair or poor, while more than 75 percent of respondents reported losing two or more teeth to decay or gum disease. Nearly four in 10 veterans reported having no dental insurance. “For too many Veterans in rural communities, … | 1 | 2026-09-29T11:07:12Z | 2026-09-29T11:08:49Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6865 | Pingree, Kelly Call Out Reports of Illegal Union-Busting at Prime Healthcare | 2026-09-23 | 2026 | 2026-09 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) are leading a group of their Democratic colleagues in demanding that Prime Healthcare end alleged intimidation and retaliation against nurses engaged in federally protected union activity at its hospitals in Maine, Illinois, and Nevada. In a letter to Prime Healthcare Chairman and CEO Dr. Prem Reddy, the lawmakers cite reports of dozens of nurses being suspended or fired, police being called on nurses and organizers lawfully distributing information outside a hospital, and hospital-branded materials urging employees to vote against union representation. The letter comes as nurses at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine; Olympia Fields Hospital in Olympia Fields, Illinois; and Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, Illinois, seek representation through the National Nurses Organizing Committee. At Central Maine Medical Center alone, Prime Healthcare has suspended or fired at least 20 nurses during the organizing campaign—actions the nurses and the union allege are retaliation for advocating for safer staffing, adequate resources, and improved patient care. Olympia Fields Hospital has also reportedly suspended six nurses. “Registered nurses at these Prime facilities are fighting to ensure they can provide the very best care to the communities they serve, including concerns about cuts to vital services that patients rely on. As you are aware, just last year, Senators Duckworth and Durbin contacted you about reversing Prime’s decision to reduce services in several newly acquired hospitals across Illinois,” the lawmakers wrote. “We remain deeply concerned about warnings from these workers that recent changes to services and designations will impact standards and delivery of care in our communities.” The lawmakers also highlight alleged retaliation at other Prime Healthcare facilities, including the firing of six nurses at Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital in Chicago ahead of a June union election and two nurses at Saint Mary’s Regional Med… | 1 | 2026-09-24T09:44:48Z | 2026-09-24T09:45:52Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6862 | Pingree Hears Emotional Testimony from Families, Representatives of Slain ICE Victims | 2026-09-22 | 2026 | 2026-09 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) joined U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a bicameral public forum of fatal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shootings across the country. Members heard emotional testimony on the killings of Ruben Ray Martinez and Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Texas, Renée Nicole Macklin Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota, and Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Maine. Watch Pingree’s portion of questioning here; the full hearing is available to watch here. Click here for photos from the hearing. “Listening to these families today was heartbreaking and infuriating,” said Pingree. “Ruben Ray Martinez was killed by an ICE agent, and DHS refused to even admit it happened for nearly a year, until a public records request forced the truth out. Alex Pretti was shot in the back, and it took a bystander's video to prove the government's own account of his death was a lie. Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero's family still has no confirmation that any federal agency is investigating his death, months later. How can the government take someone’s life and leave their family without a clear account of what happened or why? These families deserve answers. Congress has a duty to demand a full accounting and hold federal officials accountable for the abuses committed using taxpayer dollars. Republicans should be demanding those answers alongside us, but they have been derelict in their duties—refusing to hold hearings like this one. Democrats and I will keep fighting for the truth and for justice.” Other Members participating in the hearing included Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Reps. Emily Randall (D-Wash.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Jasmine Crocket… | 1 | 2026-09-24T09:44:48Z | 2026-09-24T09:45:52Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-pushes-stronger-anti-corruption-rules-on-house-earmarks | Golden pushes stronger anti-corruption rules on House earmarks | 2026-09-18 | 2026 | 2026-09 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) is co-leading an effort to strengthen guardrails against Members of Congress using taxpayer-funded earmarks to increase their own net worth. Golden joined Reps. Young Kim (CA-40) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) to introduce a resolution seeking to change House rules regarding Community Project Funding (CPF), a process that allows Members to direct federal funds to projects undertaken by state, local or tribal governments or certain nonprofits. “Americans deserve certainty that when a member of Congress secures funding for their district, it’s for the good of their constituents — not themselves, their families or any entity in which they have a financial interest,” Golden said. "This resolution will strengthen the anti-corruption guardrails around earmarks to ensure federal dollars are used responsibly. I’m proud to co-sponsor this commonsense change to preserve the integrity of the House.” Under current rules, Members requesting CPF must certify that they and their spouses have no financial conflicts of interest in the request. However, current rules do not explicitly account for indirect financial interests — such as whether an earmark could increase the value of a business asset owned by a Member or their family because of its proximity to the CPF project. The proposal closes this loophole by requiring Members of Congress to certify that neither they, their spouse, their immediate family members, nor any entity in which they hold a material financial interest would directly or indirectly benefit financially from an earmark. “When politicians are busy lining their own pockets, how can they ever understand or focus on the pocketbook issues Americans face every single day? Californians are struggling to afford groceries, gas, healthcare, and housing while paying some of the highest taxes in the nation. The least they deserve is representation focused on making their lives better,” Kim said. “I’m proud to lead this commonsense resolution with Congressmen Jared Golden… | 1 | 2026-09-19T09:11:33Z | 2026-09-19T09:12:45Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6851 | On Heels of Fashion Week, Pingree Champions First-Of-Its-Kind Bill to Fight Fast Fashion Pollution | 2026-09-17 | 2026 | 2026-09 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), founder and chair of the Slow Fashion Caucus, introduced the Textile Waste Reduction Act (TWRA), a first-of-its-kind bill to address the harmful impacts of fast fashion-driven waste. Based on recommendations made in the first-ever Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on fast fashion pollution—originally requested by Pingree and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) in 2023—this landmark legislation establishes the first coordinated federal framework to reduce textile waste, improve data collection, and develop a national strategy to advance circularity in the textile industry. “The GAO report confirmed what we’ve known for years: that textile waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the U.S.; that it’s being driven largely by fast fashion; and that federal action is necessary to confront this crisis in a real, impactful way,” said Congresswoman Pingree. “This bill would help lay the foundation for that effort by creating a coordinated federal strategy to reduce textile waste and build a more circular textile economy. Our country has the resources and know-how to lead this effort on a global scale. It’s well past time we turn that potential into action—and help transform this wasteful industry into one that’s more efficient, more sustainable, and better for people and the planet.” Specifically, the TWRA: Directs the EPA Administrator to take coordinated federal action to advance textile circularity Requires EPA to develop a comprehensive National Textile Circularity Strategy and conduct a needs assessment identifying the actions, investments, and policy priorities necessary to implement the strategy Creates an Interagency Working Group on Textile Circularity to coordinate federal activities Establishes an Advisory Board to provide recommendations to the Interagency Working Group Requires EPA to identify and publish federal funding opportunities available to states, Tribal governments, local governments, and nongovernmental organizations that support… | 1 | 2026-09-18T09:27:43Z | 2026-09-18T09:29:09Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6853 | Pingree, Congressional Democrats Call Out Trump Admin’s Corrupt Offshore Wind Buyouts | 2026-09-17 | 2026 | 2026-09 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), joined members of Congress and labor and environmental advocates in front of the U.S. Capitol to speak out against the Trump administration’s continued attacks on offshore wind. Pingree joined Representatives Deborah Ross (D-N.C.), Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.) and Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.)—along with Kendall Martin, General Vice President of Ironworkers International, and Bob Keefe, Executive Director of E2 | Economy+Environment—to call attention to the lack of accountability around the corrupt, taxpayer-funded offshore wind buyout deals, which now cover 12 offshore wind leases and five developers. Since March, the Department of the Interior has made unprecedented use of the Treasury Department’s Judgment Fund to pay developers nearly $4 billion in taxpayer funds to vacate their offshore wind leases. “The Trump administration is spending nearly $4 billion in taxpayer funds to cancel 12 offshore wind leases at the same time when Americans' utility bills are rising. Their priorities are completely out of whack," said Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01). “As Ranking Member of the Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, I take Congress’s power of the purse seriously. Taxpayers deserve to know who authorized these buyouts, how they were valued, and why the Judgment Fund was used. We need transparency, accountability, and more affordable, reliable domestic energy—not dirty deals that force taxpayers to pay for less of it.” President Trump continues to wage his war on offshore wind amid rising electricity demand and skyrocketing energy bills. These cancellations jeopardize clean energy projects that would have delivered affordable, reliable energy to millions of U.S. households and businesses and hobble industries that create thousands of good-paying jobs across the country. To date, the administration has bought out twelve offshore wind leases, including planned projects off the coasts of Maine, New York, New Jersey, California,… | 1 | 2026-09-18T09:27:43Z | 2026-09-18T09:29:09Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-statement-in-support-of-russia-sanctions-bill | Golden statement in support of Russia sanctions bill | 2026-09-16 | 2026 | 2026-09 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) released the following statement regarding his vote in favor of HR 5334, legislation to impose sanctions against Russia until it ends its war against Ukraine: “Every barrel of Russian oil sold on the global market is funding for Vladimir Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Russia is successfully evading the existing sanctions imposed by the U.S. and our Western partners. This bill provides new tools to cut off the oil revenue that’s greasing Russia’s war machine, including tariffs on the top buyers of Russian energy and those countries helping the federation evade existing sanctions. “Under Putin’s rule, Russia has tested the boundaries of international order and safety at a scale not witnessed in generations. It is waging a war of territorial expansion against our democratic ally in Ukraine. It has made its hostile intent toward the United States and other western democracies clear in its words and actions, including its efforts to undermine U.S. elections. “Passing this bill will weaken Putin’s hand, and will show the Ukrainians fighting to defend their homes that the United States will not abandon them. I’m proud to vote yes.” The bill passed the House in a bipartisan vote of 262-159, having previously passed in the Senate 86-11. It now goes to the president to be signed into law. BACKGROUND: Russia has successfully evaded existing sanctions on its energy products with a “shadow fleet” of tankers conducting ship-to-ship transfers or rerouting to friendly buyers, often using false documents to hide ownership or cargo point-of-origin. According to one estimate, this shadow fleet transported roughly 3.7 billion barrels of oil in 2025. In addition to direct sanctions on Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, the bill targets Russian financial institutions and defense and energy actors. It also sidesteps Russia’s evasion strategies by targeting the buyers of Russian energy products, authorizing the president to impose tariffs on the top fiv… | 1 | 2026-09-17T09:52:05Z | 2026-09-17T09:53:00Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6848 | House Passes Pingree Bill to Cut Diesel Pollution, Protect Maine Families | 2026-09-16 | 2026 | 2026-09 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) applauded the passage of the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation aimed at protecting public health and lowering the cost of replacing older, heavily polluting diesel engines. Introduced by Pingree and Reps. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), and Nick Longworthy (R-N.Y.), the bill reauthorizes the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act program (DERA) through fiscal year 2029 at $100 million annually. First created through the Energy Policy Act of 2005, DERA provides grants and rebates that help schools, local governments, small businesses, and fleet operators replace or upgrade older diesel-powered trucks, buses, construction equipment, and other heavy-duty engines. “Diesel fuel powers Maine’s boats, ferries, buses, construction trucks, agricultural equipment, and more, but emissions from older diesel engines have serious consequences for public health and the environment. Since its passage in 2005, the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act has helped replace or retrofit nearly 100,000 diesel engines, vehicles, and pieces of equipment and deliver cleaner air and billions in public health benefits to communities across the country—including here in Maine,” said Congresswoman Pingree. “With Trump’s reckless war in Iran increasing volatility in global energy markets, and with the threats posed by climate change looming larger every day, Congress took a much-needed step today to reauthorize DERA so that we can continue to pursue solutions that help reduce our dependence on foreign energy and incentivize American consumers and businesses to embrace more efficient technologies. Reauthorizing this proven program will help us make progress on both fronts, while reducing pollution and improving air quality in Maine and across the country.” “For more than two decades, DERA has been a model of effective, bipartisan policymaking,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “Under the program, California has replaced thousands of polluting trucks, tractors, and school buses,… | 1 | 2026-09-17T09:52:05Z | 2026-09-17T09:53:00Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-statement-on-the-25th-anniversary-of-911 | Golden statement on the 25th anniversary of 9/11 | 2026-09-11 | 2026 | 2026-09 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) released the following statement on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks: “Twenty-five years ago today, our nation endured the deadliest foreign attack on American soil. Today, we hold in our hearts the thousands who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, their families and loved ones. Their memory will not be forgotten. We also honor those who ran toward danger in the wake of the attacks, from the first responders who rushed without question to Lower Manhattan to the generation who answered the call to defend our nation. That day, Americans joined together, resolute in the face of those who brought terror to our shores. As we remember those lost and those forever changed on 9/11, let’s also remember that a united America can never be outmatched and that no shadow of fear or terror can dim our spirit.” ### | 1 | 2026-09-12T09:02:30Z | 2026-09-12T09:03:27Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6845 | Responding to Pingree Request, GAO Finds USDA Has Done Too Little to Protect Farms and Forests from Climate-Driven Diseases and Pests | 2026-09-11 | 2026 | 2026-09 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Independent watchdog’s report prompts Pingree to urge USDA action on nationwide risk assessment and strategy as threats grow and climate capacity shrinks Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), a longtime organic farmer and member of the House Agriculture Committee, is calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to swiftly implement recommendations from a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that examines the growing climate-related risks that diseases and pests pose to American farms and forests. In September 2019, Pingree and former Representative Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) asked GAO to undertake a broad examination of USDA’s climate-related work in agriculture, including the status of USDA Climate Hubs and additional actions the department could take. That oversight request previously produced a 2023 GAO report, which outlined 13 options for strengthening agricultural climate resilience. The latest report focuses on climate-related diseases and pests affecting both farms and forests. For its latest review, GAO examined federal laws, regulations, agency guidance, and scientific literature; interviewed 84 government and nongovernment stakeholders; and conducted site visits in eight states, including Maine. The report, “Agricultural Diseases and Pests: Nationwide Assessment and Strategy Needed to Enhance the Climate Resilience of Farms and Forests,” found that USDA has taken “few actions” to address these risks—and that staffing and funding for some of the programs doing this work have declined. “Climate change is rewriting the rulebook for farming and forestry. Pests are moving beyond their typical boundaries, outbreaks are starting earlier and lasting longer, and some of the management methods farmers have relied on for years are becoming less effective. In Maine, where our economy and way of life depend on healthy farms and forests, this is not an abstract warning. It is already happening,” said Pingree. “USDA should be our first line of defense—providing farmers and forest landowner… | 1 | 2026-09-12T09:02:30Z | 2026-09-12T09:03:27Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6846 | Ranking Member Pingree Slams Interior Plan to Carve Up Yosemite for Private Development | 2026-09-11 | 2026 | 2026-09 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, is pushing back against the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) proposed land exchange in Yosemite National Park. The project is listed as DOI’s sixth most important priority—even though Interior has acknowledged that it has not identified the parcel it intends to exchange. In a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Pingree warns that the Department is seeking approval without identifying the property involved or demonstrating any public benefit. “Given the complete absence of any demonstrated conservation or other public benefit, the unavoidable conclusion is that this project has been deemed a departmental priority to advance a private transaction rather than a public purpose,” Pingree said. “The Land and Water Conservation Fund exists to safeguard land for the American people—not to serve as a federal concierge for a private landowner’s real estate ambitions. Absent compelling evidence to the contrary, which has not been provided by the Department, this project should not move forward.” The full letter is available here and is copied below. Congress established the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) in 1964 to protect natural areas, water resources, and cultural heritage while expanding outdoor recreation access. At no cost to taxpayers, LWCF provides matching grants to Tribal, state and local governments to support the acquisition and development of land for public parks and other outdoor recreation sites. Congress permanently reauthorized the program in 2019, and the Great American Outdoors Act of 2020 provided it with $900 million in permanent annual funding. The proposed Yosemite exchange involves Kingsbarn Realty Capital, which owns the approximately 83-acre Hazel Green Ranch along the park’s western boundary. The developer has said it is seeking approximately 1.1 acres of federal land to construct a roughly 700-foot road connecting a planned lodging … | 1 | 2026-09-12T09:02:30Z | 2026-09-12T09:03:27Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6838 | Pingree: Trump’s Arch Tests Whether Congress Will Defend Its Own Power | 2026-09-08 | 2026 | 2026-09 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, is calling on Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) to file a lawsuit on behalf of Congress to block construction of President Trump’s 250-foot arch. Pingree’s letter comes after the Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced they’d be breaking ground at Memorial Circle—which sits directly in the sightline between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial—within two weeks, ignoring a pending lawsuit and bypassing Congressional authorization. Pingree argues that Congress has neither appropriated funding nor granted authority for this project under the Commemorative Works Act. “Congress is the institution whose appropriations power and Commemorative Works Act authority this Administration is bypassing outright. That is a concrete, particularized injury, traceable directly to the Administration's own conduct and redressable by a court order halting construction,” Pingree said. “If the Administration wants to hide behind a standing argument, let it make that case against the body whose laws it is violating.” Three Vietnam War veterans have sued the Trump Administration over the proposed arch, arguing that the arch would “dishonor their military and foreign service.” “Americans are watching this White House pour concrete over the rules of their own government, and they are furious,” Pingree continued. “That fury runs deepest among veterans and Gold Star families. […] Gold Star families who walk through Arlington's gates to visit their loved ones would have to do it in the shadow of a 250-foot tribute to a man who, when asked who the monument was for, reportedly answered, ‘Me.’” On Friday, Trump’s DOJ filed a notice of supplemental authority in the veterans’ lawsuit, Lemmon v. Trump, citing the Supreme Court's August 31 decision concerning the White House ballroom in support of its standing arguments in the pending arch litigation. Pingree, h… | 1 | 2026-09-11T09:25:29Z | 2026-09-11T09:27:08Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6840 | Ranking Member Pingree Statement on Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch | 2026-09-08 | 2026 | 2026-09 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), the top Democrat on the Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees the Smithsonian Institution, released the following statement on Secretary Lonnie Bunch’s resignation: Secretary Lonnie Bunch is a trailblazing historian and dedicated public servant who has devoted nearly four decades to the Smithsonian. From bringing the National Museum of African American History and Culture to life to becoming the institution’s first Black Secretary, his extraordinary leadership has strengthened the Smithsonian and enriched our nation. Secretary Bunch has guided the Smithsonian through a period of unprecedented political interference while remaining committed to scholarship, expertise, and the public trust. Under his leadership, the Smithsonian continued to do what it does best: tell America’s story truthfully and completely—the good and the bad, the tragic and triumphant. I am deeply grateful for Secretary Bunch’s service and wish him well in his next chapter. His departure comes at a consequential moment for this treasured American institution. As Ranking Member of the subcommittee that oversees the Smithsonian, I will continue fighting to ensure the institution has the resources, expertise, and curatorial independence necessary to fulfill its mission free from White House interference. The Smithsonian belongs to the American people, and no president has the right to erase, soften, or rewrite our history. ### | 1 | 2026-09-11T09:25:29Z | 2026-09-11T09:27:08Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-votes-to-extend-government-funding-through-december-11 | Golden votes to extend government funding through December 11 | 2026-09-01 | 2026 | 2026-09 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) voted today in favor of a Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government funded until December 11, preventing the risk of a government shutdown on October 1. The CR maintains current government funding levels until December 11, with limited policy changes. The bill passed the House of Representatives in a bipartisan 370-48 vote. It previously passed the Senate in a vote of 90-6 and now goes to President Donald Trump for his signature. “As the November elections come into view, and we remain without a funding deal, the risk of political gamesmanship is high,” Golden said. “This resolution will remove the incentive for either party to hold the government hostage in an attempt to score political points — and give Congress the time needed to negotiate a sound appropriations deal.” Golden has consistently voted to avoid government shutdowns because of the harm they cause, often to those less fortunate. This past winter, a lapse in appropriations triggered the longest shutdown in the nation’s history. As a result, food assistance benefits for needy families were disrupted, core public health and food safety programs were paused, millions of federal workers missed paychecks and travelers experienced long delays. In Maine alone, a government shutdown would affect the more than 11,000 federal employees and could force Acadia National Park to close. Additionally, a shutdown would likely impact the 169,000 Mainers who rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to put food on the table and the more than 45,000 Maine households that depend on Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEP) to heat their homes. ### | 1 | 2026-09-02T09:19:58Z | 2026-09-02T09:20:51Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-passes-golden-lawler-bill-to-protect-maine-lobstermen-from-burdensome-new-right-whale-regulations-until-2035 | House passes Golden-Lawler bill to protect Maine lobstermen from burdensome new right whale regulations until 2035 | 2026-09-01 | 2026 | 2026-09 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Maine’s lobstermen and the communities they support would get an extended reprieve from onerous new regulations related to the North Atlantic right whale until 2035 under a bill spearheaded by Congressmen Jared Golden (ME-02) and Mike Lawler (NY-17), which passed the House of Representatives in bipartisan 219-196 vote on Tuesday. The Golden-Lawler bill, The Northeast Lobstermen Protection Act, now goes to the Senate. “This bill is a big win not only for fishermen in Maine, but for bipartisanship in Congress,” said Golden, whose district hosts the largest lobster fishery in the United States. “While the threat of unnecessary, industry-killing regulations is a matter of survival for lobster harvesters in Maine, the issues at play affect fishermen across the Northeast. Building bridges across party lines is essential for a functional Congress, but unfortunately, it’s a skill that has been lost for far too many members. I’m grateful to Rep. Lawler for recognizing an injustice to working men and women and joining me to correct it.” “While this legislation is particularly important to Maine’s fishing communities, the Northeast lobster industry supports small businesses and hardworking families far beyond the coastline, including restaurants here in New York. Fishermen have spent years adapting to conservation requirements and deserve regulatory certainty instead of constantly shifting rules that threaten their ability to operate and plan for the future. I’m grateful to Congressman Jared Golden for his partnership on this bipartisan effort and to the Natural Resources Committee for their support. We are proud to see this bill pass the House,” Lawler said. The moratorium was originally enacted in 2022 under President Joe Biden, with bipartisan support from the entire Maine delegation and Maine Gov. Janet Mills. It was made necessary after the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in 2021 issued an opinion using “worst-case scenarios,” assumptions and poor data that led to regulatory proposals for more… | 1 | 2026-09-02T09:19:58Z | 2026-09-02T09:20:51Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-bipartisan-fiscal-forum-react-to-historic-debt-milestone | Golden, Bipartisan Fiscal Forum React to Historic Debt Milestone | 2026-08-21 | 2026 | 2026-08 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) and members of the Bipartisan Fiscal Forum (BFF) released the following statements as our nation’s gross national debt recently surpassed $40 trillion. Annual interest payments on the debt are already approaching $1 trillion, more than the United States is projected to spend this year on defense, Medicare or Medicaid. Absent meaningful action, the debt is only projected to increase, and this has real consequences for hard-working families. The BFF is a group of House members committed to raising awareness of the nation's unsustainable debt and working across the aisle toward a more responsible fiscal future. “Both parties talk a big game on fiscal responsibility — until they’re the ones who have to govern. Reducing our national debt shouldn’t be seen as a threat to one party’s agenda, but as a once-in-a-generation chance to work together for the good of all Americans,” Golden said. “It’s worth remembering: the last time we actually balanced the budget, Republicans controlled Congress and a Democrat sat in the White House. Absent bipartisan legislation, it's only a matter of time before one of the two parties is left holding the bag.” “Our national debt threatens our economy, drives up interest rates, slows wage growth, and leaves us less prepared for the next emergency. We are in this together, regardless of party label. Addressing our looming fiscal challenges will take both parties, and a bipartisan fiscal commission is a practical step toward doing so.” said Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-04), Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Fiscal Forum “The national debt is now more than $40 trillion and we borrow nearly $2 trillion every year just to pay our expenses. As government borrowing grows, there is less money available in the system to help San Diegans afford homes, invest in their businesses, or take out loans. Congress must help working people keep up with the cost of living. The first step is to pass the Fiscal Commission Act.” said Congressman Scott Peters (CA-50), C… | 1 | 2026-08-22T05:24:59Z | 2026-08-22T05:26:16Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6835 | Pingree, Homeland Democrats Host Hearing on ICE’s Deadly Use of Force in Biddeford | 2026-08-17 | 2026 | 2026-08 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Today, U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), and Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.), a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, hosted a Democratic shadow hearing examining Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) use of force and abuse of power following the tragic killing of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Biddeford. The hearing, titled “Seeking Justice in Biddeford: Oversight of ICE’s Use of Force in the Death of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero,” brought Members of Congress to Maine to hear directly from the Durán Guerrero family’s legal representation, local officials, and immigrant rights advocates about the investigation, the need for accountability, and the effects of ICE operations on communities across the state. Click here to watch the full hearing. “Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero should be alive today. His family deserves answers, and the people of Biddeford deserve to know how an ICE operation in their community ended in an innocent man’s death. Today’s testimony laid bare the devastating human cost of allowing ICE to operate with impunity in our communities and underscored the urgent need for transparency and accountability,” said Pingree. “As demonstrated today by their absence and utter ambivalence to the terror ICE is inflicting across the country, Republicans refuse to hold this Administration accountable for the atrocities committed using Americans’ tax dollars. My Democratic colleagues and I will keep fighting for the truth, for justice for Johan and his loved ones, and for safeguards to ensure no other family has to endure a tragedy like this.” “Today’s hearing made clear that the Durán family deserves accountability and justice for Johan’s Sebastian’s death. ICE cannot continue using reckless and deadly force without consequence,” said Ranking Member Thompson. “Congress must hold this agency accountable before another family is forced to endure this kin… | 1 | 2026-08-19T05:29:02Z | 2026-08-19T05:30:24Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-statement-on-trump-s-new-push-to-offshore-navy-shipbuilding | Golden statement on Trump’s new push to offshore Navy shipbuilding | 2026-08-14 | 2026 | 2026-08 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) released the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s latest effort to build American warships in foreign shipyards: “I don’t know how we’re supposed to take any soaring ‘America-first’ language from this administration seriously when it appears to be bound and determined to send American shipbuilding jobs overseas and, now, to sell American shipyards to foreign corporations. Luckily, the House has already given bipartisan support to my language to block this short-sighted offshoring scheme, and the Senate is poised to do the same. Congress must take seriously its job to protect national security and American jobs.” BACKGROUND: Golden successfully amended this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to explicitly prohibit the appropriation of federal funds to build American ships overseas. The House passed the NDAA, with Golden’s language to protect American shipbuilding, in July. Golden’s amendment was in response to a Navy Shipbuilding Plan released by the Pentagon earlier this year, which called for offshoring the production of some warships, or parts of warships, in overseas yards. Maine’s 2nd Congressional District is home to scores of shipbuilders employed at Bath Iron Works who build DDG-51 Destroyers, which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has called the “workhorse” of the US naval fleet. ### | 1 | 2026-08-18T05:27:41Z | 2026-08-18T05:29:06Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6810 | King, Pingree Lead Push to Protect Federal Workforce at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard | 2026-08-05 | 2026 | 2026-08 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), and U.S Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), are urging the administration to withdraw a proposed rule that would weaken longstanding civil service protections for federal employees, including the nearly 8,000 civilian workers at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY). In a letter to Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Acting Director Charles Ezell and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) Chairman Cathy Harris, the lawmakers warned that the proposal would make it more difficult to recruit and retain the skilled civilian workforce responsible for maintaining the Navy's submarine fleet, ultimately threatening national security. "We write in strong opposition to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB)'s proposed rule 'Promoting Employee Accountability,’” the lawmakers began. “This proposed rule would weaken longstanding civil service protections that promote merit-based employment, due process and the recruitment and retention of skilled workers. Moreover, as Members of Congress who represent nearly eight thousand civilian workers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, we are concerned about the proposed rule's impact on workers essential to our national security." "By stripping away the procedures that keep discipline fair for civilian employees doing the work of naval readiness... the proposed rule introduces costly unpredictability in the workforce and needlessly undermines readiness. We are concerned this will increase attrition in the critical and experienced workforce that keeps our submarine fleet ready... We, therefore, ask you to withdraw OPM and MSPB's proposed rule," the lawmakers concluded. Joining King and Pingree on the letter are U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and U.S. Representatives Maggie Goodlander (D-NH-02) and Chris Pappas (D-NH-01). The full text of the letter can be found here and below. +++ Director Kupor and Acting Chairman Ke… | 1 | 2026-08-06T07:37:31Z | 2026-08-06T07:38:34Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6811 | Reps. Pingree, Valadao and Sens. Ernst, Padilla Recognize American Producers During National Farmers Market Week | 2026-08-05 | 2026 | 2026-08 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and David Valadao (R-Calif.), along with Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), reintroduced a bipartisan resolution designating August 2–8, 2026, as National Farmers Market Week. This resolution honors the critical role farmers markets play in bridging the gap between urban and rural communities, helping people better understand the realities of farming and ranching. “Farmers markets have been a cherished tradition in communities across America for generations. A quarter of Maine farms sell directly to consumers, with more than 100 farmers markets currently operating in our state,” said Congresswoman Pingree, a longtime organic farmer and co-chair of both the Organic Caucus and the Food Recovery Caucus. “By connecting local growers with their communities, farmers markets not only help put healthy food on the table, but also strengthen local economies and help preserve Maine’s agricultural traditions for future generations. This bipartisan, bicameral resolution reminds us that, in red states and blue states alike, farmers markets can be a force for good—and an important part of building a stronger, more resilient food system for all Americans.” “The Central Valley grows a quarter of our nation’s food on less than one percent of America’s farmland, yet too many people living in urban areas don’t realize what it takes to get food from field to table,” said Congressman Valadao. “Farmers markets provide a valuable opportunity to connect people with the hardworking producers who feed our nation, and they highlight the important role agriculture plays in our communities. I’m proud to join my colleagues in recognizing National Farmers Market Week and honoring the contributions of our CA-22 producers working to support food access, bolster local economies, promote healthy living, and foster sustainable farming.” “California is home to more than 800 farmers markets that nourish our families, bolster the local economy, and cultivate thoughtful relationshi… | 1 | 2026-08-06T07:37:31Z | 2026-08-06T07:38:34Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6809 | Pingree Urges MaineHealth to Preserve Labor and Delivery Services at Lincoln Hospital in Damariscotta | 2026-08-03 | 2026 | 2026-08 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) is urging MaineHealth to preserve labor and delivery services at Lincoln Hospital in Damariscotta, warning that closing the unit would have far-reaching consequences for families, health care workers, and communities throughout the Midcoast. In a letter to MaineHealth President and CEO Dr. Andy Mueller and MaineHealth Chair of the Board of Trustees Marie McCarthy, Pingree acknowledged the challenges facing rural hospitals, while encouraging them to do everything in their power to keep the unit open. "Lincoln Hospital has a long history of providing safe and quality care to maternity patients," Pingree wrote. "I sincerely appreciate that there are structural challenges to the continued delivery of that care, but the consequences of a closure—on patients, hospital staff, and the surrounding towns—could be devastating. I urge you to explore every possible avenue to preserve access to labor and delivery services in Damariscotta." She also raised broader concerns about the steady decline of maternity care across Maine, noting that the state has lost 10 birthing units over the past decade, while warning that continued closures could jeopardize the ability of families to live and raise children in rural Maine. Maine has lost 10 of its 23 hospital-based labor and delivery units over the past decade. Nationally, a 2024 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that 52.4% of rural hospitals no longer offered obstetric care in 2022, contributing to growing maternity care deserts across the country. In the U.S., maternal mortality remains far higher than in most other high-income countries, with persistent racial and geographic disparities in outcomes. Pingree acknowledged that addressing the crisis will require stronger federal support for rural health care—including protecting Medicaid, expanding the rural health care workforce, and improving reimbursement rates. She pledged to continue advocating for those priorities in Congress, while working wi… | 1 | 2026-08-04T07:35:49Z | 2026-08-04T07:37:27Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6806 | Pingree Backs Scarborough Town Council's Call for Federal Review of ICE Facility | 2026-07-29 | 2026 | 2026-07 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Ahead of the Scarborough Town Council's special meeting Wednesday evening, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) sent the Council a letter supporting their proclamation calling for a federal review of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility at 40 Manson Libby Road. In the letter, Pingree urged the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to seriously reconsider whether the facility should continue operating in Scarborough if its presence is undermining public trust and making residents feel less safe. “The facility at 40 Manson Libby Road has become a symbol of fear, uncertainty, and intimidation for many immigrant families and their neighbors,” Pingree said. “That should concern every one of us.” In her letter, Pingree emphasized that the Town of Scarborough has every right to question whether continuing to host the ICE facility serves the interests of the community. She called on DHS and ICE to conduct a serious review of the facility's continued operation and to give meaningful weight to the concerns raised by local residents and elected officials. “When a federal facility reaches the point where its very presence undermines the public confidence and leaves residents feeling less safe, the federal government has a responsibility to reconsider if that facility belongs there at all,” she said. Pingree also reiterated that her office has been conducting aggressive oversight of ICE's activities in Maine following the fatal shooting of her constituent, Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, in Biddeford. She has demanded answers from DHS, called for a transparent investigation, pursued legislative and appropriations oversight, and remains committed to holding the agency accountable to the communities it serves. “Federal agencies must carry out their responsibilities in a manner that respects human dignity, civil rights, due process, and the communities in which they operate. When they fail to do so, local communities have not only the right but the responsibility to speak out,” Pingree said. The f… | 1 | 2026-07-30T07:32:48Z | 2026-07-30T07:34:08Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-democratic-veterans-demand-transparency-on-iran-war-casualties | Golden, Democratic veterans demand transparency on Iran war casualties | 2026-07-28 | 2026 | 2026-07 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Following reports that the Department of Defense removed the names of four American troops from the official Iran War death toll, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) and 14 fellow Democratic veterans are urging the Trump Administration to accurately and transparently account for U.S. servicemembers killed and wounded in the Iran war. “As veterans of America’s wars, we have serious concerns about reports that the Department of War is delaying, removing or otherwise mischaracterizing the release of information about wounded and killed U.S. servicemembers,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to President Trump. “The U.S. government owes U.S. servicemembers, their families, and every American the truth about all U.S. casualties in the War with Iran. It is imperative that these reports are timely, accurate and adequately explain the reason for amended or delayed reports,” they continued. “We urge you to commit to releasing timely and accurate information on all injuries and deaths of U.S. servicemembers.” The letter was led by Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-14). Golden was joined on the letter by Reps. Pat Ryan (NY-18), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Derek Tran (CA-45), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Eugene Vindman (VA-07), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Jason Crow (CO-06), Bobby Scott (VA-03), Salud Carbajal (CA-24) and Gil Cisneros (CA-31). The full text of the letter can be found here and below. Dear President Trump, As veterans of America’s wars, we have serious concerns about reports that the Department of War is delaying, removing or otherwise mischaracterizing the release of information about wounded and killed U.S. servicemembers. The U.S. government owes U.S. servicemembers, their families, and every American the truth about all U.S. casualties in the War with Iran. It is imperative that these reports are timely, accurate and adequately explain the reason for amended or delayed reports. Inaccurate and delayed reports from the Department of War about U… | 1 | 2026-07-29T07:41:48Z | 2026-07-29T07:42:57Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-votes-against-gop-s-reconciliation-framework | Golden votes against GOP’s reconciliation framework | 2026-07-22 | 2026 | 2026-07 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) voted today against Republicans’ partisan reconciliation framework. “While we don’t know the details of the Republicans’ reconciliation plan yet, I've watched the GOP run this play before and I’m not expecting it to add up to anything good for Maine,” Golden said. “I’ll keep an open mind and will assess whatever they pull together on the merits. But I’m not going to grease the skids for the majority to write a partisan bill behind closed doors.” The vote passed the House in a party-line 216-214vote. Background: Reconciliation is a budgetary maneuver that allows the majority party to amend the current budget and bypass the 60-vote threshold for passage in the Senate. The resolution before the House today begins the process with a framework that outlines $95 billion in new spending to be drafted by the committees on Agriculture, Armed Services, Intelligence, and House Administration. Their proposals will then be lumped together into one bill to be laid before the full House of Representatives. ### | 1 | 2026-07-23T07:31:02Z | 2026-07-23T07:32:26Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-votes-to-extend-government-funding-through-december-4 | Golden votes to extend government funding through December 4 | 2026-07-22 | 2026 | 2026-07 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) voted in favor of a Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government funded until December 4, preventing a risk of government shutdown on October 1. The CR contains no major changes to federal policies, programs or current spending levels. The bill passed the House Tuesday night in a 220-205 vote. “It is unusual to pass a CR this far ahead of a funding deadline, but the reality is the House and Senate are far away from a deal to keep government funded and, with an election coming up, the risk of political gamesmanship is high,” Golden said. “This CR will give us space to continue negotiating an appropriations deal while removing the incentive for either party to hold the government hostage in an attempt to score electoral points.” Golden has a long history of voting to avoid government shutdowns because of the harm they cause. This past winter, a lapse in appropriations triggered the longest shutdown in the nation’s history. As a result, millions of federal workers missed paychecks, travelers experienced long delays, food assistance benefits for needy families were disrupted and core public health and food safety programs were paused. A government shutdown in October would affect the more than 11,000 federal employees in Maine and could force Acadia National Park to close. The CR now heads to the Senate for consideration. ### | 1 | 2026-07-23T07:31:02Z | 2026-07-23T07:32:26Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-passes-defense-authorization-bill-with-golden-s-pro-shipbuilding-provisions | House passes defense authorization bill with Golden’s pro-shipbuilding provisions | 2026-07-22 | 2026 | 2026-07 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), including provisions won by Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) to protect American shipbuilding from offshoring and to fund an additional destroyer to be built in Maine at Bath Iron Works (BIW). The 2027 NDAA authorizes $1.15 trillion in spending for the Department of Defense and other national security priorities. Golden — a member of the House Armed Services Committee, which drafted the bill — voted in favor of the legislation, which passed the House in a bipartisan 216-212 vote. “This bill is a win for America’s shipbuilders, including the thousands of workers at Bath Iron Works for whom it will provide job security so they can keep building the world-class destroyers that are the workhorse of America’s surface fleet,” Golden said. “By blocking the Pentagon’s plan to move shipbuilding overseas, we have proven that Congress will act to protect American industry, jobs, innovation and our national security.” Golden fought successfully in committee to attach two critical provisions to the final 2027 NDAA: Language to block the U.S. Navy’s offshoring plan: In May, the Navy issued a shipbuilding plan that included a proposal to allow American ships, or parts of ships, to be built in overseas yards using foreign labor. Golden pushed back and won language to specify that no funds authorized under the 2027 NDAA may be obligated to enter into a contract for the procurement of a battle force ship to be built in a foreign yard. Language to authorize additional funds to ensure construction of a DDG-51 destroyer at BIW: In previous years, the pentagon has requested authorization to build multiple DDG-51 destroyers, creating demand for ships at both Ingalls Shipbuilding in Mississippi and Bath Iron Works. This year, the president’s budget proposal included only one ship, which was expected to be built at Ingalls. General Dynamics, BIW’s parent company, told HASC that this would have resulted in layoffs in… | 1 | 2026-07-23T07:31:02Z | 2026-07-23T07:32:26Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/irs-to-provide-in-person-tax-assistance-in-bangor-this-week | IRS to provide in-person tax assistance in Bangor this week | 2026-07-20 | 2026 | 2026-07 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — The IRS announced that it will be in Bangor this week to provide in-person tax assistance for Mainers. Specifically, they will assist with tax law, refunds, payments, transcripts and forms. IRS staff will be available in Suite 20300 of the Margaret Chase Smith Federal Building, located at 202 Harlow St. They will be onsite from July 21 to July 23, during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The IRS asks that attendees bring a valid state or federal photo ID. Tax payments will not be accepted. For an appointment, call (615) 250-5331. If you need assistance with the IRS but are unable to visit in person, please reach out to any of our district offices: Bangor Office: 6 State Street, Bangor ME 04401. Phone: (207) 249-7400 Caribou Office: 7 Hatch Drive, Suite 230, Caribou ME 04736. Phone: (207) 492-6009 Lewiston Office: 179 Lisbon Street, Lewiston ME 04240. Phone: (207) 241-6767 ### | 1 | 2026-07-21T07:32:02Z | 2026-07-21T07:33:33Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6803 | Pingree Demands Answers from DHS After Fatal ICE Shooting in Biddeford | 2026-07-17 | 2026 | 2026-07 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin demanding answers about the fatal shooting of her constituent, Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Biddeford, Maine, on July 13. “[O]nce again, a family and community is grieving because a person is dead after an encounter with your officers,” Pingree said. “My constituents are being asked to trust that deadly force was justifiable and are left to confront the question of whether federal immigration officers are operating under policies that prioritize aggressive efforts to meet quotas over the preservation of human life.” In light of recent reporting about the agent’s disturbing background, and DHS’s reported hiring push, Pingree asks Mullin how his agency is ensuring quality and experience of new hires and what information would be disqualifying in an agent. ICE’s agents who spoke on the record with The Intercept said there were, in fact, agents equipped with body cameras on the scene, but that they weren’t active or recording video–information which contradicts the Secretary’s own statements to Pingree in their phone call on Wednesday. Her letter seeks clarity on this discrepancy and asks what other recordings exist, and when footage will be released publicly. Pingree also asks DHS to explain whether the Biddeford operation was targeted and whether Durán Guerrero was its intended target; to detail the planning and risk assessment conducted beforehand; identify any witnesses; and more. Her full list of questions is available in the letter here and copied below. “The people of Maine deserve better than vague assurances after another fatal encounter involving immigration officers,” Pingree said. “We are a nation of immigrants. They are our family, friends, and our neighbors. A community is grieving and angry—as is our state. If that is not enough for the Department, immigrants are vital to Maine’s workforce; without them, our eco… | 1 | 2026-07-22T07:34:13Z | 2026-07-22T07:35:16Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-s-bill-to-extend-lobster-right-whale-moratorium-earns-green-light-from-natural-resources-committee | Golden’s bill to extend lobster, right whale moratorium earns green light from Natural Resources Committee | 2026-07-15 | 2026 | 2026-07 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — The House Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday approved a proposal by Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) to extend until 2035 protections for Maine’s lobstermen from new regulations related to the North Atlantic right whale. The committee advanced H.R. 9436, the Northeast Lobstermen Protection Act, to the House floor in a bipartisan 22-13 vote. The bill, led by Golden and Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17), extends the moratorium on certain new regulations — including potential fishery closures — from 2028 to 2035. “I’m grateful to Rep. Lawler and my colleagues on the Committee for a strong show of bipartisan support for Maine lobstermen. In 2022, Congress enacted this regulatory pause and funded new efforts to gather information to support a data-driven process establishing rules that made sense for both the fishermen and the whales. But today the rulemaking process is behind schedule for reasons that have nothing to do with Maine fishermen. At the same time, those charged with gathering the necessary data say more time is needed to ensure regulations can incorporate the best available science. Mainers are not asking for much. We just need more time,” Golden said. “Protecting the North Atlantic right whale and supporting America's fishing communities are goals that can and must go hand in hand. By extending the current regulatory framework through 2035, the Northeast Lobsterman Protection Act provides the time needed to develop durable, science-driven solutions that protect this endangered species without imposing unnecessary burdens on fishermen. I’m grateful to Chairman Bruce Westerman for advancing this legislation through Committee and to Rep. Jared Golden for his partnership on this bipartisan effort,” Lawler said. The moratorium was originally enacted in 2022 under President Joe Biden, with bipartisan support from the entire Maine delegation and Maine Gov. Janet Mills. Earlier this year President Donald Trump signaled his support for Golden’s proposed extension. Two parallel but related pr… | 1 | 2026-07-16T07:21:44Z | 2026-07-16T07:23:13Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-statement-on-ice-shooting-in-biddeford | Golden statement on ICE shooting in Biddeford | 2026-07-14 | 2026 | 2026-07 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) released the following statement Tuesday regarding the fatal ICE shooting that took place Monday in Biddeford, Maine. “This morning, I spoke with DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. He confirmed that the independent DHS Office of the Inspector General and the FBI are investigating the fatal shooting in Biddeford yesterday. The Maine Attorney General’s Office is also investigating. That’s a good thing. As with any deadly use of force by law enforcement, what we need now is thorough, independent investigation that establishes the facts necessary for accountability. “Unfortunately, the ICE officers involved in this incident were not yet wearing body cameras, which could have helped to establish those necessary facts. I supported body camera adoption for ICE earlier this year and Congress approved funding for this technology in April to increase transparency and accountability, but deployment has been slow. DHS needs to make this a priority. “Mainers are understandably scared and shocked by this painful loss of life. My heart goes out to all those who are hurting, and I urge Mainers to take care of one another and stay safe.” ### | 1 | 2026-07-15T07:12:08Z | 2026-07-15T07:13:45Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-passes-golden-s-bipartisan-bill-to-ban-foreign-donations-in-state-local-referendums | House passes Golden’s bipartisan bill to ban foreign donations in state, local referendums | 2026-07-14 | 2026 | 2026-07 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives on Monday unanimously passed the bipartisan Stop Foreign Funds in Elections Act, led by Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01). This bill would ban foreign nationals from making political contributions in state and local ballot initiatives and recall elections. “In an increasingly divided world, free and fair elections offer a rare chance for positive civic engagement — foreign influence undermines that opportunity,” Golden said. “I’m proud the House took a major step to ensure our elections are not for sale and that American voters call the shots.” “The ballot is the instrument by which a free people govern themselves,” Fitzpatrick said. “No foreign government, foreign national or foreign interest should have a hand in deciding the laws Americans live under. Today’s unanimous vote is an important step in our broader bipartisan work to protect the integrity of our elections, preserve the sovereignty of the American voter, and strengthen public faith in self-government. On this principle, there should be no division and no exception: American elections must be decided by American citizens alone. The Senate should now act with the same unity and send this bill to the president’s desk.” While foreign nationals are already barred from contributing to candidate campaigns, current law does not prohibit them from financing issue-based ballot measures. The Stop Foreign Funds in Elections Act closes this loophole by amending the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to extend the prohibition to every aspect of our electoral system. Maine is one of only 15 states to pass its own law banning foreign contributions in ballot initiatives. Golden has fought to limit foreign influence in American elections during his time in Congress. In 2024, the Stop Foreign Funds in Elections Act was part of Golden’s Government Integrity and Anti-Corruption Plan, a set of 14 bills designed to prevent political leaders from leveraging their position for profit, increase tra… | 1 | 2026-07-15T07:12:08Z | 2026-07-15T07:13:45Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/maine-delegation-calls-for-full-expedited-investigation-into-ice-fatal-shooting-in-maine | Maine Delegation calls for full, expedited investigation into ICE fatal shooting in Maine | 2026-07-14 | 2026 | 2026-07 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) and Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Jared Golden (D-ME) are calling for a comprehensive, transparent, and expedited investigation into the fatal shooting involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel in Biddeford. In a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, the delegation requested an independent review of the incident to ensure a full accounting of the facts and help maintain public confidence in the investigative process. “We write to formally request that your office conduct a comprehensive, transparent, and expedited investigation into the fatal shooting involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel that occurred [yesterday/earlier this week] in Biddeford, Maine,” the lawmakers began. “Along with our constituents, we are deeply saddened by this loss of life. The facts surrounding this tragedy remain a matter of significant local concern and necessitate thorough, objective accounting.” “Given the gravity of the situation and the understandable anxiety within the Biddeford community, we urge you to prioritize this investigation,” they continued. “Timely and factual answers will be critical to providing closure for the grieving community and ensuring that federal law enforcement operations are conducted safely, lawfully, and in a manner that respects public safety.” The full text of the letter can be found here and below. +++ Dear Inspector General Cuffari: We write to formally request that your office conduct a comprehensive, transparent, and expedited investigation into the fatal shooting involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel that occurred yesterday in Biddeford, Maine. Along with our constituents, we are deeply saddened by this loss of life. The facts surrounding this tragedy remain a matter of significant local concern and necessitate thorough, objective accounting. To ensure public trust, transp… | 1 | 2026-07-15T07:12:08Z | 2026-07-15T07:13:45Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6801 | Maine Delegation Calls for Full, Expedited Investigation into ICE Fatal Shooting in Maine | 2026-07-14 | 2026 | 2026-07 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) and Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Jared Golden (D-ME) are calling for a comprehensive, transparent, and expedited investigation into the fatal shooting involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel in Biddeford. In a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, the delegation requested an independent review of the incident to ensure a full accounting of the facts and help maintain public confidence in the investigative process. “We write to formally request that your office conduct a comprehensive, transparent, and expedited investigation into the fatal shooting involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel that occurred [yesterday/earlier this week] in Biddeford, Maine,” the lawmakers began. “Along with our constituents, we are deeply saddened by this loss of life. The facts surrounding this tragedy remain a matter of significant local concern and necessitate thorough, objective accounting.” “Given the gravity of the situation and the understandable anxiety within the Biddeford community, we urge you to prioritize this investigation,” they continued. “Timely and factual answers will be critical to providing closure for the grieving community and ensuring that federal law enforcement operations are conducted safely, lawfully, and in a manner that respects public safety.” The full text of the letter can be found here and below. +++ Dear Inspector General Cuffari: We write to formally request that your office conduct a comprehensive, transparent, and expedited investigation into the fatal shooting involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel that occurred yesterday in Biddeford, Maine. Along with our constituents, we are deeply saddened by this loss of life. The facts surrounding this tragedy remain a matter of significant local concern and necessitate thorough, objective accounting. To ensure public trust, transparency, and a… | 1 | 2026-07-16T07:21:44Z | 2026-07-16T07:23:13Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6798 | Pingree, Massie Introduce ‘People Over Poison Act’ to Protect Americans’ Right to Hold Big Chemical Companies Accountable | 2026-06-29 | 2026 | 2026-06 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Congressman Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) introduced the People Over Poison Act, legislation to protect Americans’ right to hold pesticide manufacturers accountable under state law when they fail to warn consumers about the risks of their products. The bipartisan bill comes days after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Bayer—formerly Monsanto—in Monsanto v. Durnell, a case centered around Roundup, the company’s widely used glyphosate-based herbicide. In its decision, the Court held that the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) preempts state-law failure-to-warn claims when those claims involve a warning not mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Pingree and Massie’s People Over Poison Act would reverse the Monsanto v. Durnell ruling by explicitly stating that FIFRA does not block or limit state tort claims related to pesticide labeling or packaging—preserving the right of people harmed by pesticides to seek accountability in court. "The Supreme Court just handed Big Chemical the legal immunity its lobbyists and millions of dollars couldn't buy in Congress," said Pingree. "Federal pesticide law was never supposed to be a liability waiver for corporations, and not a permission slip to hide behind insufficient labels while people get sick. For all the Trump Administration’s talk about ‘Making America Healthy Again,’ it keeps siding with chemical companies in court, dragging its feet on long-overdue safety reviews, and even boosting glyphosate production. Enough with the empty slogans and broken promises. If this Administration won’t put people’s health over corporate profits, Congress must. The right to seek justice in court is one of our most foundational freedoms, ensuring that every American has a fair chance to be heard and hold powerful interests accountable.” “The Supreme Court just ruled that Monsanto/Bayer can’t be sued for omitting a warning even if their herbicides do cause cancer,” said Massie. “Even if the legal re… | 1 | 2026-06-30T06:29:10Z | 2026-06-30T06:30:42Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6797 | Pingree: SCOTUS Victory for Big Chemical Exposes Trump’s MAHA Hypocrisy | 2026-06-25 | 2026 | 2026-06 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | ### | 1 | 2026-06-26T06:29:35Z | 2026-06-26T06:31:46Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-welcomes-me-02-winner-of-congressional-art-competition | Golden welcomes ME-02 winner of Congressional Art Competition | 2026-06-25 | 2026 | 2026-06 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) welcomed the winner of the annual Congressional Art Competition in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, Elden Irish, to his Washington office Thursday morning. Elden’s original work, a photograph titled “Gramps,” will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for the next year alongside the winners from other congressional districts. Elden was born and raised in Rangeley. Having recently graduated from Rangeley High School, Elden plans to attend the Maine College of Art & Design in Portland this coming academic year. “It was great to meet Elden and welcome him to Washington. Elden is clearly a thoughtful and bright young man, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for him,” Golden said. “Family is a big deal to me, and it was touching to see Elden honor his grandfather in this way. I look forward to seeing Gramps in the halls of Congress every day and I am glad to know that so many visitors to our Capitol will have a chance to see his work.” “Irish's photo of ‘Gramps’ stood out prominently for its strong artistic voice and honest depiction of the subject, appearing simple at first but revealing more complexity upon prolonged viewing,” said Gerald Walsh, one of the judges for the competition. “I imagine that Gramps, like this image, gets more complex the more time you spend with him.” The Maine College of Art and Maine Arts Commission, as well as the National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, partner each year to choose the winning submissions for the Congressional Art Competition. The competition began in 1982 to help Members of Congress support young artists from districts across the country. ### | 1 | 2026-06-27T21:44:12Z | 2026-06-27T22:11:26Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6795 | Pingree Blasts Republicans, Trump for Being “All Talk” on Supporting US Shipbuilding | 2026-06-24 | 2026 | 2026-06 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Today during the House Appropriations full committee markup of the FY2027 Defense funding bill, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) spoke out against Republicans’ outrageous $1 trillion bill that, despite it’s enormous price tag, fails to support American shipbuilding. In her opening remarks, Pingree contrasted the Trump Administrations’ claims to support American manufacturing and long-touted “America First” mantra, while at the same time seeding the prospect of buying ships overseas. She noted that as maritime competition is intensifying, especially in the Indo-Pacific, Republicans’ funding bill provides funding for only one DDG-51 destroyer, which are built at Bath Iron Works in Pingree’s district. “These ships are the backbone of our Navy, and they are essential to preserving our military superiority. And only one of those ships is provided for in this bill,” Pingree said. “I often hear bipartisan agreement about how we need a larger, more capable fleet. And last year, the president himself said he wanted to ‘resurrect the American shipbuilding industry.’ But without investment or a strategy, that is just talk. And it's especially just talk in a bill that gets over $1 trillion. If we're serious about naval readiness, we cannot continue under investing in our ships and in our shipyards and the workforce that is needed to sustain that fleet.” +++ I'm going to trust my colleagues because I know there have been a lot of opening remarks, and they'll continue to be to make sure that everybody understands the problems and challenges of this bill. But I do want to emphasize that it is $1 trillion. That's $1 trillion for the Pentagon. At the same time, we're cutting and we've all been through a lot of subcommittee hearings here or markups. We're cutting over $13 billion for domestic programs that would actually support working families while we're spending this much on defense. And we all know what we've been cutting childhood cancer research farmers through the USDA, education, housing, childcare it's all on … | 1 | 2026-06-25T06:30:03Z | 2026-06-25T06:31:21Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6789 | Pingree Urges USDA to Look Beyond Cotton in Push to Rebuild American Textiles | 2026-06-18 | 2026 | 2026-06 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), a longtime organic farmer and leader in Congress for sustainable agriculture and reducing pollution from fast fashion, is calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to strengthen federal support for American-grown and American-made natural fibers. In a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, Pingree urged the Department to build on its recently announced “Great American Cotton Plan” by expanding its focus to include other plant- and animal-based fibers, including hemp, flax, wool, alpaca, and leather. Pingree also requested information on existing USDA programs, authorities, and data collection efforts that could support domestic natural fiber production and processing. “As global trends have impacted the economics of producing textiles and apparel outside the U.S., there is a critical need to reshore production of American-made textiles and to ensure more sustainable textile production,” Pingree wrote. “The United States Department of Agriculture plays an important role in supporting these efforts and revitalizing the sustainable fibers industry in the U.S.” According to the Textile Materials Market Report, synthetic fibers accounted for approximately 65 percent of global fiber production in 2022, with polyester ranking as the most widely used fiber. In contrast to synthetic fibers, which shed microfibers that pollute waterways, land, and air, natural fibers may have a lower environmental footprint and can also be grown and raised in ways that sequester carbon and provide additional co-benefits to producers, such as improved soil health and reduced inputs like pesticides. “As global fiber production continues to increase, it is critical to support the production and processing of additional plant-based fiber crops, such as hemp and flax, and animal-based fibers such as wool, alpaca, and leather, as the USDA considers reshoring fiber production,” Pingree continued. In the letter, Pingree noted that natural fiber production aligns with multiple USDA mission a… | 1 | 2026-06-20T06:35:38Z | 2026-06-20T06:37:01Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6791 | Pingree, Luna Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Ban Toxic Pesticide Paraquat and Protect Americans from Parkinson’s Disease | 2026-06-18 | 2026 | 2026-06 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) today introduced the Paraquat Prevention Act, legislation that would cancel all registered uses of the pesticide paraquat under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and permanently prohibit its reregistration. “Vermont just proved a paraquat ban is possible. Now Congress must make it national. This pesticide is already banned in more than 70 countries and linked to Parkinson’s disease, yet EPA has been reviewing its safety since 2022 without finishing the job,” said Congresswoman Pingree. “I’m proud to introduce this bill with Congresswoman Luna, because all Americans deserve the same protection from this poison. Our bill cancels paraquat’s registration outright. No more reviews, no more waiting, no more excuses.” “Paraquat has been banned in over 70 countries, including every nation in the European Union, because the science is clear about the devastating neurological risks associated with exposure,” said Congresswoman Luna. “The United States has no business allowing a chemical linked to Parkinson’s disease to keep being sprayed on American farmland, and this bill ends that.” The bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency to cancel all existing paraquat registrations, revoke any tolerances permitting paraquat residue in food, and ban the sale and use of existing stocks upon enactment. This action comes amid growing concern over the health impacts of paraquat exposure, with multiple studies consistently linking this chemical to increased risks of Parkinson’s disease. Studies from the National Institutes of Health have found that individuals exposed to paraquat face a significantly elevated risk of developing the disease, with laboratory research demonstrating that the chemical directly damages the dopaminergic neurons whose destruction causes Parkinson’s. The European Union acted on this science in 2007, and more than 70 countries have since followed. Among them is China, which banned paraqu… | 1 | 2026-06-25T06:30:03Z | 2026-06-25T06:31:21Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6793 | Pingree Leads Roundtable on Threats to Maine Forests, Research from Trump Forest Service Shakeup | 2026-06-18 | 2026 | 2026-06 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, led a roundtable discussion with Maine forestry leaders about the Trump Administration’s reckless decision to reorganize the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and shutter research facilities. The planned USFS reorganization poses a serious risk to forest health and productivity in New England, realign key Forest Service staff away from the region, and potentially impact the research conducted at the Massabesic, Howland and Penobscot experimental forests. “Maine is the most forested state in the nation. The Forest Service is an essential partner in protecting Maine’s forests, supporting our working forest economy, and advancing the research and innovation that will shape the future of wood products. But the Trump Administration is trying to push through a sweeping reorganization with little transparency, little justification, and little regard for the people and regions that rely on Forest Service expertise,” Pingree said. “Today’s roundtable made clear that Maine’s forestry leaders are concerned about what this plan could mean for forest health, regional staffing, and critical research at the Massabesic, Howland and Penobscot experimental forests. USDA and USFS owe Congress and the public real answers before taking another step. I’m grateful to everyone who joined today’s discussion, and I will keep fighting to ensure this reorganization does not weaken the Forest Service or leave Maine behind.” Participants included University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy, and Maine Department of Agriculture Conservation and Forestry (DACF) Commissioner Amanda Beal, as well as representatives from the Appalachian Mountain Club, The Nature Conservancy, New England Forestry Foundation, Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast, and more. Pingree recently pressed USFS Chief Schultz about the reorganization plans in an Appropriations budget hearing. As Ranking Member of the Appropria… | 1 | 2026-06-25T06:30:03Z | 2026-06-25T06:31:21Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6786 | Pingree, Huffman Demand Answers from Forest Service on Glyphosate Spraying in National Forests | 2026-06-09 | 2026 | 2026-06 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, and Congressman Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) are demanding answers from the U.S. Forest Service about its current and planned use of glyphosate-based herbicides on federal forestlands. Their letter to Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz follows a yearlong Mother Jones investigation that raised serious questions about the use of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, on public and private forestlands, particularly in areas recovering from wildfire in California. The reporting detailed plans for large-scale spraying in national forests, including areas near trails, campgrounds, waterways, and communities, while also highlighting concerns about the scientific basis and oversight behind the agency’s continued use of the chemical. “Given the recent scientific disputes, retracted studies, and litigation surrounding glyphosate due to serious ecological and health harms, we are deeply concerned by the alleged use of the herbicide and lack of information available regarding current and planned use,” Pingree and Huffman wrote. In the letter, Pingree and Huffman request information on how frequently glyphosate is used on Forest Service land, what criteria determine when and where spraying occurs, which forests are treated, and how current acreage compares to five and ten years ago. The lawmakers also ask whether the Forest Service has assessed glyphosate residues in soil, water, or wildlife in and around treated areas; evaluated potential human health harms; established a publicly accessible database of herbicide use; and coordinated with state, tribal, local, and water officials before application. The letter further presses the agency on worker safety and exposure risks, including protections for Forest Service employees, firefighters, trail crews, contractors, and others who may enter treated areas. Pingree and Huffman also ask whether there have been reported worker illnesses… | 1 | 2026-06-10T06:36:00Z | 2026-06-10T06:37:32Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-votes-against-gop-s-partisan-ice-cbp-reconciliation-bill | Golden votes against GOP’s partisan ICE, CBP reconciliation bill | 2026-06-09 | 2026 | 2026-06 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today voted against the Republicans’ fiscally irresponsible reconciliation bill that would have plowed nearly $70 billion of funds toward ICE and CBP, despite the agencies already sitting on enough funds to cover their operations. “I support the men and women who enforce our nation’s immigration laws, but this partisan spending bill is irresponsible and unnecessary,” Golden said. “Last year, Congress gave the Department of Homeland Security a huge budget increase, with ICE in particular receiving more than seven times its usual appropriation. Given our nation’s already shaky fiscal footing, I see no reason to circumvent the normal annual budget process by throwing tens of billions of dollars at agencies that are already able to cover their costs well into the future.” The vote passed the House in a party-line, 214-212 vote. BACKGROUND: The Republicans’ so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a party-line reconciliation bill passed last year, provided $65 billion to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and $75 billion to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last year. Both sums far outpace prior years’ appropriations. According to OMB, the agencies have so far spent only a fraction of these windfalls: ICE still has roughly 84 percent of the funds, while CBP still has roughly 62 percent. ### | 1 | 2026-06-27T21:44:12Z | 2026-06-27T22:11:26Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-passes-golden-backed-bill-to-make-it-easier-for-unions-to-secure-their-first-contract | House passes Golden-backed bill to make it easier for unions to secure their first contract | 2026-06-09 | 2026 | 2026-06 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives today passed The Faster Labor Contracts Act, a bill co-sponsored by Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) that would stop corporations from using endless negotiating delays to block unions from obtaining their first contract. The bill, introduced by Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01), would establish clear deadlines for a first contract, and guarantee mediation and binding arbitration if the deadlines aren’t met. Together, its provisions guarantee that workers will receive the protections of a union contract in a timely, fair manner. It passed the House with bipartisan support in a 230-193 vote. “Federal law protects the right of workers to form a union and collectively bargain for fair wages, benefits and working conditions, but that right is meaningless if corporations can delay a contract indefinitely by dragging their feet at the negotiating table,” Golden said. “I’m proud to join Congressman Norcross to oppose these anti-union tactics and strengthen the promise of collective bargaining for American workers.” Unionization rates are rising as more Americans reap the benefits of collective bargaining. But under current law, after workers vote to form a union, companies are allowed to drag out the negotiating process indefinitely. On average it takes 458 days for a new union to negotiate its first contract. The Faster Labor Contract Act requires corporations to begin negotiations within 10 days of workers voting to form a union. If no contract is agreed within 90 days, the law would require mediation. And if mediation failed after 30 days, the dispute would be sent to binding arbitration to secure an initial contract. A new analysis by the Economic Policy Institute finds that corporations drag their feet negotiating with their workers far more than in other negotiations. For example, Starbucks has made its workers wait four and a half years, and counting, for a first union contract, but managed to negotiate a merger with Teavana in just 67 days. Amazon has made its work… | 1 | 2026-06-27T21:44:12Z | 2026-06-27T22:11:26Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-wins-ndaa-amendment-to-block-pentagon-from-sending-us-shipbuilding-jobs-overseas | Golden wins NDAA amendment to block Pentagon from sending U.S. shipbuilding jobs overseas | 2026-06-05 | 2026 | 2026-06 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy would be forced to scrap its plans to send shipbuilding jobs overseas under a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) sponsored by Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) and approved by the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) early this morning. Golden also secured funding for an additional destroyer to be built in Maine at Bath Iron Works. Golden, a member of HASC, voted to pass the Fiscal Year 2027 NDAA after a marathon markup overnight. The legislation authorizes $1.15 trillion in spending for the Department of Defense and other national security priorities. The bill now heads to the House floor. “American military spending should support American jobs. The idea that we would build any portion of our surface fleet on foreign soil with foreign labor is unconscionable,” Golden said. “I am grateful to my colleagues on the committee for seeing this plan for what it is: A threat to American industry, jobs and national security.” HASC approved two of Golden’s amendments to the NDAA before voting the bill out of committee. Those include: An amendment blocking the U.S. Navy’s offshoring plans. The amendment added language to specify that none of the funds authorized to be appropriated for the Navy in FY27 may be obligated or expended to enter into a contract for the procurement of a battle force ship to be built in a foreign yard. Background: In May, Rep. Golden questioned Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao about the Navy’s proposal to send shipbuilding jobs overseas and pledged to stop it (video, press release). An amendment to authorize additional funds to ensure construction of a DDG-51 destroyer at Bath Iron Works (BIW): This amendment increased funding for a second DDG-51, to be built at BIW, by $500 million. This brings the total funding for the destroyer to $1 billion. It also allows incremental funding, which will keep shipbuilders working at BIW. Background: In April, Rep. Golden questioned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth about why the Pentagon’s budget pr… | 1 | 2026-06-27T21:44:12Z | 2026-06-27T22:11:26Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-votes-to-re-up-military-aid-for-ukraine-sanctions-for-russia | Golden votes to re-up military aid for Ukraine, sanctions for Russia | 2026-06-04 | 2026 | 2026-06 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today voted in favor of H.R. 2913, the Ukraine Support Act, which provides additional military financing loans and weaponry to Ukraine as it continues to defend itself in the face of Russian aggression. The bill passed the House in a bipartisan 226-195 vote after a successful discharge petition forced Republicans to hold a vote despite the opposition of majority leadership. “If we don’t support our allies when they need us most, then our word means nothing,” Golden said. “The people of Ukraine have fought heroically in the face of the most brazen campaign of territorial expansion since World War II. The fact they are fighting against Russia, who has made their hostility toward the United States clear through words and actions, makes our ongoing support for their defense even more urgent.” The bill authorizes $8 billion in military finance loans to Ukraine and extends the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) through 2027, allowing the transfer of weapons to Ukraine directly from the United States’ own stockpiles. It also imposes new sanctions on Russia, establishes a Ukraine Reconstruction Trust Fund to support rebuilding efforts and strengthens the United States’ work to counter Russian disinformation. Golden has been a consistent champion for the defense of Ukraine’s sovereignty, having voted in favor of every major military and financial aid for the besieged nation. To overcome partisan gridlock, in 2024 the Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act with Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), which paired aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with funding the restore order at America’s southern border. Elements of the bill were included in a successful bipartisan foreign aid and border security package enacted by the House in 2024. ### | 1 | 2026-06-27T21:44:12Z | 2026-06-27T22:11:26Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6783 | WATCH: Ranking Member Pingree Slams Republican Cuts to EPA, Arts, Parks, and More While Trump Prioritizes Gilded Vanity Projects in DC | 2026-06-03 | 2026 | 2026-06 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, spoke out against Republicans’ funding bill for the 2027 fiscal year during the Appropriations Committee's markup today. In her opening remarks, Pingree condemned proposed cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Park Service (NPS), and the National Endowments for the Arts (NEA) and Humanities (NEH). At the same time, the Trump Administration is spending millions of taxpayer dollars on the President’s vanity projects in D.C., Pingree said—including a 250-foot Arch, a $1 billion ballroom, resurfacing the reflecting pool, the so-called “Garden of Heroes”, and more. “How is the President paying for all of these vanity projects? While he might claim private fundraising, the real answer has seemed to be raiding national park entrance fees that typically go toward maintenance and stealing funding from the National Endowments for the Arts and the Humanities,” Pingree said. Pingree also cited how Trump has destroyed the Kennedy Center over the past 18 months, and said the Committee must take steps to protect the institution. “I’m very pleased with the court’s confirmation last Friday that it’s plainly illegal for him to rename the Center after himself and remake it in his own image,” she said. “But we need real and committed oversight from this Committee to protect this critical institution and the artists, workers, and audiences that make it special." A summary of the bill is available here. Pingree’s full remarks as prepared for delivery are copied below. +++ Thank you for yielding. I would like to thank Chairman Cole, Ranking Member DeLauro, and the staff on both sides of the aisle. Chairman Simpson, I appreciate our working relationship and that we were able to find common ground last year to enact a bipartisan full-year funding bill. Unfortunately, the bill before us reverts back to the same partisan playbook, with grossly insufficient funding an… | 1 | 2026-06-05T06:35:23Z | 2026-06-05T06:36:42Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-introduces-ndaa-amendments-to-protect-strengthen-domestic-shipbuilding-manufacturing | Golden introduces NDAA amendments to protect, strengthen domestic shipbuilding, manufacturing | 2026-06-03 | 2026 | 2026-06 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | June 3, 2026 Proposals would block Navy’s planned offshoring, boost BIW, require American-made footwear for troops WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today announced the introduction of three amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would protect domestic shipbuilding and ensure combat boots worn by service members are made in America. The amendments will be considered by the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), when it reviews and finalizes the NDAA during a markup scheduled for tomorrow. “Wherever possible, American military spending should support Americans’ jobs — not only out of a sense of patriotism, but to secure supply chains and ensure the United States reaps the innovation benefits that a strong manufacturing base provides,” Golden said. “The Pentagon’s budget proposal shortchanges production of DDG-51 destroyers made in Bath, it sends shipbuilding jobs overseas and it continues a loophole that puts foreign-produced boots into our service members’ footlockers. My amendments fix these failures, strengthen national security and protect American jobs.” Golden’s amendments would make the following changes to the current draft of the NDAA, known as the “chairman’s mark”: Additional Funds to Ensure Construction of a DDG-51 Destroyer at Bath Iron Works (BIW): This amendment would increase funding for a second DDG-51 by $500 million, bringing the total to $1 billion. It would also allow incremental funding, which will keep shipbuilders working at BIW. Background: In April, Rep. Golden questioned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on the future of the DDG-51 destroyer and why the Pentagon’s budget proposal cuts procurement of this proven “workhorse” down to a single ship (video, press release), and failed to include multi-year procurement of destroyers. In committee, Golden advocated for — and won — authorization for a second ship, to be built at BIW, and for multi-year procurement necessary to ensure DDG-51s are built well into the future. Blocking U.S. Navy Plans to … | 1 | 2026-06-27T21:44:12Z | 2026-06-27T22:11:26Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/in-line-with-war-powers-act-golden-votes-to-constrain-military-action-in-iran | In line with War Powers Act, Golden votes to constrain military action in Iran | 2026-06-03 | 2026 | 2026-06 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) voted today in favor of House Concurrent Resolution 86, a resolution under the War Powers Act to remove the United States from hostilities against Iran. Golden opposed earlier War Powers resolutions, in recognition that the administration had, to that point, met its obligations to notify Congress and provide updates under the War Powers Act of 1973. The law requires the president to obtain authorization from Congress or to end the fighting within 60 days. That deadline has now passed, and President Trump has yet to seek Congressional authority for his continued campaign in Iran. Golden released the following statement: “The War Powers Act is not a recommendation. It is the law. If the president has a case to make about why this conflict is in America’s interest, he must come to Congress and make it. That is the only way to bestow any continued conflict with the legitimacy our system of checks and balances requires. Without it, the operation — including any blockade of Iranian ports, which cannot be seen as anything but an act of war — cannot continue” “My vote today supports the separation of powers that are central to our democracy. But make no mistake: In its words and actions the Iranian government has long been hostile to the United States. We cannot afford to take that threat lightly. Should Congress consider an Authorization for the Use of Military Force against Iran, I will approach that question with an open mind and an emphasis on our collective security.” Today’s vote was the first clean War Powers resolution since the 60-day window ended on May 1. The resolution passed in the House in a bipartisan 215-208 vote. ### | 1 | 2026-06-27T21:44:12Z | 2026-06-27T22:11:26Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6781 | Ranking Member Pingree Statement on Court Ordering Removal of Trump’s Name from Kennedy Center | 2026-05-29 | 2026 | 2026-05 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees the Kennedy Center, released the following statement after a federal judge ordered the removal of President Trump’s name from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and blocked the administration’s plan to close the venue for two years beginning in July: Donald Trump tried to slap his name on the Kennedy Center like it was one of his tacky hotels, and today a federal judge made clear what we have been saying from the start: he had no legal authority to do it. I am also relieved the court blocked Trump’s plan to shutter the Center. Closing the Kennedy Center was never about renovation. It was about covering up the catastrophic damage Trump has already inflicted: ticket sales in free fall, the Washington National Opera ending its 55-year residency, beloved performances canceled, and union workers fired in clear violation of their contracts. The court saw through the pretense. I want to commend Congresswoman Beatty for her courage and persistence in filing this suit, along with the preservation and architectural organizations that fought alongside her. This victory belongs to every American who refused to accept a president using a national memorial as a vehicle for his own ego. The Kennedy Center’s deferred maintenance needs are real, and they should be addressed. But that work must happen through a transparent, collaborative process, with full congressional oversight and proper historic preservation review. I stand ready to be a genuine partner in restoring the Kennedy Center’s integrity and greatness for generations to come. That is what the American people deserve, and that is the work that lies ahead. Trump has two weeks to comply with this court order. The Kennedy Center belongs to the American people. Now and always. Pingree, who co-chairs the bipartisan Congressional Arts Caucus, has been a leading voice in Congress to protect the Kennedy Center since Trump installed himself as boa… | 1 | 2026-06-02T06:40:38Z | 2026-06-02T06:42:17Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6780 | Three Maine Students Accepted to U.S. Service Academies, Pingree Announces | 2026-05-27 | 2026 | 2026-05 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) announced that three students she nominated have been accepted to U.S. Service Academies. Wallace “Wynn” Pooler of South China will attend the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y., while Isaiah Morgan of Cumberland Center and Cole Tomuschat of Scarborough will both attend the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. “Earning acceptance to a U.S. Service Academy is an extraordinary achievement and a testament to a student’s scholarship, leadership, character, and commitment to service,” said Pingree. “Wallace, Isaiah, and Cole have each demonstrated a deep sense of duty and a clear desire to serve their country. I’m incredibly proud to have nominated them and thrilled to see them accepted to the Merchant Marine Academy and Naval Academy. I know they will represent Maine well, and I wish them every success as they begin this next chapter.” “I have long been interested in serving my country in some way and was raised in a service-oriented family, with family members having served for many generations. Both my great-grandfathers served during World War II. My grandfather served in the Navy during the Vietnam War, and my father served as a U.S. Merchant Marine Officer after graduating from Maine Maritime Academy,” Wallace wrote in his nomination request. “I now wish to continue this legacy by attending the Merchant Marine Academy.” “Growing up with a father who has served for over 30 years, and an aunt and uncle who both attended West Point, I have learned how this community is unique. Part of my patriotic duty is to give back to my country, following in their footsteps,” Isaiah wrote in his nomination request. “I want to be part of a service academy because it offers a unique combination of leadership development, academic rigor, and a path to a lifelong commitment to serving my country.” “Some of my earliest memories are listening to my dad and grandpa tell stories of their service. My dad is a 20-year merchant marine, and Grandpa is a ret… | 1 | 2026-05-28T06:29:45Z | 2026-05-28T06:31:18Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-co-leads-legislation-to-extend-rural-hospital-program | Golden co-leads legislation to extend rural hospital program | 2026-05-21 | 2026 | 2026-05 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) introduced bipartisan legislation today to extend for five years a program to provide increased Medicare matching funds to rural hospitals including facilities in Ellsworth and Presque Isle. The bill — the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization Act — was sponsored by U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (IA-04), and co-led by Golden and Reps. Mike Flood (NE-01) and Janelle Bynum (OR-05). It is companion legislation to a bill that passed this week in the Senate. “Without rural hospitals, many of my constituents would have to travel long distances, sometimes hours away, to get the care they need,” Golden said. “These hospitals are essential, but face unique challenges associated with rural places. Extending this program for another five years will provide them the stability they need to focus on what matters most: caring for their patients.” The Rural Community Hospital Demonstration, or RCHD, pays Medicare reimbursements to small rural hospitals based on their actual costs, rather than standard fixed rates. To qualify, a hospital must be in a rural area, have fewer than 51 beds and not already be part of the Critical Access Hospitals program. The test program is set to expire at the end of this year. The bill would extend the program until 2031. Two hospitals administered by Northern Light Health in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District have participated in RCHD: Northern Light Maine Coast Hospital in Ellsworth and Northern Light AR Gould Hospital in Presque Isle. “By reauthorizing the Rural Community Hospital Program Demonstration, we are ensuring rural hospitals have the support they need to keep their doors open and continue providing the essential services that keep Iowa’s economy strong, families healthy, and communities thriving,” Feenstra said. “With a proven track record, this program provides rural hospitals with the financial stability needed to sustain health care services in our communities and ensure patients continue to have access to qualit… | 1 | 2026-06-27T21:44:12Z | 2026-06-27T22:21:02Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-s-effort-to-restore-retirement-benefits-for-cbp-officers-advances-to-house-floor | Golden's effort to restore retirement benefits for CBP officers advances to House floor | 2026-05-21 | 2026 | 2026-05 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) announced his bipartisan U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Retirement Technical Corrections Act, had passed the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform unanimously by a vote of 40-0. Golden is the lead Democratic sponsor on the bill, introduced by Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01). The legislation corrects a CBP error that caused certain officers to lose enhanced retirement benefits they were promised and planned around. The bill restores those benefits, adds accountability safeguards, and is supported by the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU). “What’s fair is fair, and clerical screw-ups shouldn’t be allowed to stand between federal law enforcement officers and the benefits they were promised,” Golden said. “This bill is a simple solution to ensure the federal government lives up to its word. I urge my colleagues in the House to support this bill to restore fairness for these essential federal workers.” “Our CBP officers stand on the front lines of America’s security every day—protecting our ports of entry, stopping illicit activity, facilitating lawful trade and travel, and helping keep our communities safe,” Fitzpatrick said. “When these officers relied on guidance from their own agency, they made career and retirement decisions in good faith. This is not special treatment. It is basic fairness, government accountability, and keeping faith with those who serve our country. A bureaucratic error should never erase benefits these officers were promised, planned around, and earned. This bill corrects the record, restores fairness, and honors their service to our nation. I will always stand with the men and women who protect America, and look forward to bringing this bipartisan fix to the House floor. I am grateful to Congressman Golden, Chairman Comer, NTEU, and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their unanimous support.” "NTEU is proud to support the US Customs and Border Protection Officer Retirement Technical Corrections A… | 1 | 2026-06-27T21:44:12Z | 2026-06-27T22:21:02Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6778 | Statement from Congresswoman Chellie Pingree on the Passing of Former Congressman Barney Frank | 2026-05-20 | 2026 | 2026-05 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement on the passing of former Congressman Barney Frank: ### | 1 | 2026-05-27T06:38:34Z | 2026-05-27T06:40:17Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-statement-on-fatal-fire-in-searsmont | Golden statement on fatal fire in Searsmont | 2026-05-16 | 2026 | 2026-05 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | LEWISTON, Maine — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) released the following statement today, following the fire and explosion at Robbins Lumber mill in Searsmont on Friday that killed Morrill Firefighter Andrew Cross, 27, and injured several other first responders and civilians: “There is no braver man than one who runs toward the danger to protect others. Firefighter Andrew Cross was a hero who died far too young in the line of duty, confronting the blaze at the Robbins Lumber mill so that others could be safe. May he rest in peace. “I am keeping Andrew, his family, his friends and all of our first responders in my thoughts today. And Izzy and I continue to pray for the recovery of the others injured in Friday’s fire. “I’m also aware of what a loss this fire is to the region. I have met the Robbins family several times, and toured the mill in Searsmont. The damage to the facility is loss not only to their family business, but to the families of the dozens of people who work there. In the wake of this tragedy, my staff and I stand ready to support the community in whatever way we can.” Searsmont and Morrill are both in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District. ### | 1 | 2026-06-27T21:44:12Z | 2026-06-27T22:21:02Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-to-begin-accepting-military-academy-nomination-applications-may-15 | Golden to begin accepting military academy nomination applications May 15 | 2026-05-14 | 2026 | 2026-05 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Jared Golden announced today he will begin accepting nomination applications from Maine high school students for appointments to the United States service academies operated by the Army, Navy, Air Force and Merchant Marines. No nomination is required to apply to the United States Coast Guard Academy. Students should apply for a nomination in the spring and summer of their junior year. Golden will begin accepting nomination applications on May 15, 2026, from students for admission to the academies in the summer of 2027. Click here to apply. For more information please contact: Casework Manager Kim Rohn at (207) 249-7400. ### | 1 | 2026-06-10T06:36:00Z | 2026-06-10T06:37:32Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6776 | The Dilley immigrant detention facility costs taxpayers millions. The human cost is even higher. | 2026-05-14 | 2026 | 2026-05 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | On a sunny day in Texas inside one of the nation’s most notorious immigrant detention facilities, I sat down with Olivia Andre, a 19-year-old asylum seeker whose story has garnered national attention. Despite it being nearly 90 degrees that day in Dilley, a small town about an hour outside of San Antonio, Olivia was bundled up in a down jacket. She was freezing. Her spirits, understandably, were low and she told me she hadn’t been sleeping much. She’d been suffering from headaches and had lost nearly 20 pounds in the six months she spent inside what has become known as the Family Trailer Prison. For more than an hour, we talked about her family and the life that was unfairly ripped from her when Olivia, her mother and siblings were detained by immigration enforcement in November of 2025. I brought a hefty stack of legal documents with me, as well as family photos and letters from loved ones to give her in hopes they would lift her spirits. Because the government is court-ordered to release migrant children and their parents from prolonged detention, the rest of Olivia’s family — mother Carine Balenda Mbizi; brother Joel Andre, 16; and sister Estafania Andre, 14 — were released from Dilley in March. But since Olivia is technically an adult, and not the legal guardian of her siblings, she was not released with them. The last thing I wanted to do when I visited was give her any false hope, but, after hearing near-daily updates from her lawyers, I was optimistic she’d be soon released. And I promised her that we were doing everything we could to get her out. The very next day, a federal district judge ordered her release. Soon, she’d finally be on a plane bound for where she belongs: back home in Portland with her loved ones. Around 11:15 p.m. on Friday, May 8, Olivia finally made it home to Maine, where a raucous and overjoyed crowd of family, friends, neighbors and fellow Mainers was ready to welcome her home. I can’t imagine the overwhelming sense of relief she and her family must be feeling right now. I si… | 1 | 2026-05-15T06:17:41Z | 2026-05-15T06:18:51Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-to-introduce-amendment-to-block-navy-from-offshoring-american-shipbuilding-jobs | Golden to introduce amendment to block Navy from offshoring American shipbuilding jobs | 2026-05-14 | 2026 | 2026-05 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) announced today that he will introduce an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to prohibit any funds from being used to produce American warships, or parts of warships, overseas. During a hearing today in the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), Golden questioned top officials from the U.S. Navy about the Navy Shipbuilding Plan. The plan includes a request for Congressional authority to move a portion of American shipbuilding overseas. “This administration has said over and over that it will prioritize American manufacturing. How could those goals possibly square with a request to offshore American fleet production?” Golden said. “Every ship or hull built overseas would weaken America’s shipbuilders, making it harder for them to maintain the capacity, knowledge and technical skill necessary to build and maintain our fleet.” In its latest budget request, the Pentagon has asked Congress to fund procurement for just one DDG-51 destroyer, the style of warships built at Bath Iron Works (BIW), down from the usual order of two or three destroyers. In response to questions from Golden, General Dynamics — BIW’s parent company — told HASC members yesterday that the reduced demand signal could trigger layoffs in Bath as soon as next year. Golden discussed the threat of layoffs Thursday while questioning Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao. “Stop and think about that: In the same year that American shipbuilders might get laid off, the U.S. Navy wants to employ foreign workers. Good luck selling that as anything but a one for one trade off. I can’t believe the Navy would even consider it and it would be an absolute shame if the Congress approved it.” Golden will draft the amendment to prohibit the offshoring of American shipbuilding in the coming days and will introduce it later this month when the NDAA is opened to amendment. Click here for video of Golden’s remarks during today’s HASC hearing. ### | 1 | 2026-06-26T06:29:35Z | 2026-06-26T06:31:46Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-announces-support-for-clean-resolution-to-constrain-military-action-in-iran | Golden announces support for ‘clean’ resolution to constrain military action in Iran | 2026-05-13 | 2026 | 2026-05 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today announced he would vote in favor of a ‘clean’ war powers resolution to remove the United States from hostilities against Iran. One such resolution, H.Con.Res.86, sponsored by Congressman Gregory Meeks (NY-05), will become eligible for a floor vote as early as next week. “I have said since the start of this conflict that the War Powers Act of 1973 grants the president only 60 days to conduct military operations without an explicit authorization from Congress,” Golden said. “President Trump, like all his predecessors, has refused to recognize the limitations of the War Powers Act, but to me the law is clear. His window for unilateral military engagement has closed. Hostilities, including the use of the U.S. fleet to impose a blockade of Iranian ports, cannot legally continue unless the president seeks, and wins, Congressional approval.” H.Con.Res.86 will be the first clean war powers resolution eligible for a vote since the 60-day deadline for the president to seek Congressional authorization was surpassed on May 1. Golden has opposed prior resolutions in recognition that the administration had, to that point, met its obligations under the War Powers Act. Golden also announced that he will oppose a separate resolution, offered by Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), that has been widely reported to be coming to the floor for a vote this week. That measure, H.Con.Res.75, was originally submitted on March 4 and would have reduced the deadline for Congressional authorization from 60 days to 30 days. This resolution was rendered moot one day after the 30-day deadline it sought to impose on the president. “I supported this resolution when it was introduced, but unfortunately its proposed 30-day deadline lacks any real meaning now that we are more than 70 days into this conflict,” Golden said. “It no longer passes the straight-face test. I look forward to voting for a clean, relevant resolution as soon as possible.” ### | 1 | 2026-06-10T06:36:00Z | 2026-06-10T06:37:32Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6774 | Federal Judge Orders Olivia Andre’s Release from Dilley, Pingree Announces | 2026-05-06 | 2026 | 2026-05 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Just hours after returning to Maine from San Antonio, Texas, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) shared news that a federal district court judge has ordered Olivia Andre’s release from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing center in Dilley, Texas. According to Olivia’s lawyer, Elora Mukherjee, the judge’s order states she must be released by no later than Friday, May 8. “I am overwhelmed with joy and relief that Olivia will finally be released and reunited with her family. Yesterday, I sat with Olivia in Dilley and heard how she struggled through every second of her time in detention. Words cannot describe how heartbreaking it was to leave knowing she was still trapped there in utter despair. Olivia should never have been left locked away in Dilley, far from her family, her community, and the life she was building in Portland. But today, after six months of fear, pain, and uncertainty, Olivia is finally coming home,” Pingree said. “Olivia’s release is a testament to the power of public pressure, persistent advocacy, and the simple truth that no one seeking safety should be subjected to this kind of needless cruelty. Now, ICE must release Olivia without delay so she can be reunited with her family and begin to heal where she belongs: at home in Maine.” "I just spoke with Olivia. She is overwhelmed with emotion to learn that she will be coming home to Maine. Olivia and her family should never have been detained. The federal court ordered her release because the Trump administration had no lawful basis for detaining her. She suffered in detention for six months in violation of federal law and the U.S. Constitution's protections. Her mental and physical health deteriorated during this time because she did not have access to sufficient clean drinking water, palatable food, or appropriate medical care,” Mukherjee said. “All children and families should be released from Dilley immediately. There are cost-effective and humane alternatives to detaining children and families. Protecting childr… | 1 | 2026-05-08T05:46:43Z | 2026-05-08T05:48:09Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6772 | After Oversight Visit, Pingree, House Dems Call for Release of Their Constituents, Closure of Dilley Detention Facility | 2026-05-05 | 2026 | 2026-05 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Pingree met with Olivia Andre, an asylum seeker from Portland who remains detained in Dilley despite her family being released last month Maine Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) is once again calling for the release of her constituent, Olivia Andre, from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing center in Dilley, Texas following an official Congressional oversight visit on Tuesday. Pingree—along with colleagues U.S. Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Christian Menefee (D-Texas.), and Mark Takano (D-Calif.)—held a press conference where they detailed what they witnessed at the Dilley facility and shared stories of those they met with. “I came here today for one specific reason and one specific constituent. [But] I want to validate all of the things that my colleagues have been saying, and everything you’re hearing is true: We need to close Dilley, we need to close these facilities, there was nothing about the conditions that were humane—and it’s done with our tax dollars, in our name, and it has to stop,” Pingree said during the press conference. In April, Pingree called on ICE to immediately release Olivia Andre, a 19-year-old student who has been detained in the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas since November. In a letter to ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, Pingree questioned the legal basis for Olivia’s continued detention, as no explanation has been given to Andre or her legal counsel. Olivia and her family are asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and have been living in Portland, where Olivia was a first-year nursing student. The rest of her family—mother Carine Balenda Mbizi; brother Joel Andre, 16; and sister Estafania Andre, 14—were released from the Dilley Processing Center in March. Pingree previously conducted oversight visits of the ICE field office in Scarborough, Maine and the ICE facility in Burlington, Mass. ### Related News | 1 | 2026-05-08T05:46:43Z | 2026-05-08T05:48:09Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6769 | ‘Outrageous and Needlessly Cruel’: Pingree Statement on Kennedy Center Firing Union Members | 2026-05-04 | 2026 | 2026-05 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees the Kennedy Center, released the following statement after the Center reportedly fired staff who are members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) union: As Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, Pingree successfully removed language from the 2026 Appropriations bill that would have renamed the Opera House after Melania Trump. ### | 1 | 2026-05-05T05:58:12Z | 2026-05-05T05:59:44Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-hinson-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-strengthen-lobbying-ban-for-senior-government-officials | Golden, Hinson introduce bipartisan bill to strengthen lobbying ban for senior government officials | 2026-05-01 | 2026 | 2026-05 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today reintroduced the bipartisan Promoting the Unbiased Role of Employees in the Executive Act (PURE Executive Act) with Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (IA-02). The bipartisan bill imposes a five-year ban on senior executive branch employees from lobbying an agency where they had been employed. It also creates a lifetime ban on senior executive branch employees lobbying for foreign governments or companies tied to them. “Senior government officials’ decisions should be about serving their country — not how to position themselves for the most profitable, influential job possible after they leave civil service,” Golden said. “Further restricting these leaders from immediate lobbying gigs will help ensure they keep their eyes on the actual prize: better outcomes for working families.” “Washington insiders shouldn’t be able to leave their taxpayer-funded posts and use their status to immediately cash out and lobby their politician friends, and they should never be able to use sensitive U.S. intelligence to benefit a foreign adversary,” Hinson said. “This is exactly the kind of corruption Iowans sent me to Congress to root out – we have to drain the swamp and clean up Washington.” Current rules for executive branch officials leaving federal service are limited, allowing individuals to quickly begin lobbying the agency they just left or even lobby on behalf of foreign companies or governments. While some short-term bans can apply to certain officials — one year for some and two years for the most senior leaders — that moratorium has not meaningfully slowed the revolving door between the executive branch and high-paying lobbying jobs. Meanwhile, exemptions still remain for lobbying for foreign interests. The PURE Executive Act expands the lifetime foreign lobbying ban to include any foreign entity or corporations controlled by foreign governments, and implements a five-year ban from lobbying their former agency. Full text of the bill can be found here. ### | 1 | 2026-06-05T06:35:23Z | 2026-06-05T06:36:42Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-wins-president-trump-s-support-for-extending-moratorium-on-lobster-right-whale-regulations-until-2035 | Golden wins President Trump’s support for extending moratorium on lobster, right whale regulations until 2035 | 2026-05-01 | 2026 | 2026-05 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today won the support of the White House for his legislation to protect Maine’s lobstermen from new regulations related to the North Atlantic right whale until 2035. Golden in recent weeks has had several conversations with administration officials about the bill, H.R. 8509. The Trump administration announced its support for the bill in a Statement of Administration Policy released this afternoon. Golden worked with the Maine delegation and Governor Janet Mills to win the moratorium on industry-crippling new regulations — including potential fishery closures — in 2022 under President Joe Biden, but the freeze is scheduled to expire in 2028. Golden has long advocated for the federal government to extend the moratorium. “The need to protect Maine’s iconic lobster industry knows no party. I’m grateful for the President’s support for Maine’s lobstermen and hopeful that my colleagues in the House will join me in quickly passing this bill into law,” Golden said. “Before we enacted this moratorium, Maine’s lobster industry was on the verge of shutting down because of proposed regulations that were onerous and based on flawed science and hypothetical scenarios rather than the reality on the water. Extending the moratorium will give lobstermen and their communities stability and peace of mind, protect an industry worth half a billion dollars annually and give the government time to get the science right,” Golden said. Golden’s bill can be found here. The White House’s Statement of Administration Policy can be found here. ### | 1 | 2026-06-06T06:16:30Z | 2026-06-06T06:17:47Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6765 | ‘A Handout to Big Chemical’: On House Floor, Pingree Speaks Out Against Republican Farm Bill | 2026-04-30 | 2026 | 2026-04 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Speaking on the House floor last night, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) condemned the Republican Farm Bill that fails farmers and puts chemical company profits over the health of Americans. Pingree spoke in support of an amendment to remove dangerous, industry-written language that would pre-empt state rights to regulate pesticide usage or labeling and provide a liability shield for pesticide manufacturers. Representative Anna Paulina Luna’s (R-Fla.) amendment language is identical to the bipartisan amendment Pingree and Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) introduced. “Our amendment to strike the pesticide liability shield sections from the Farm Bill has drawn broad bipartisan support, both within this chamber and across America,” Pingree said. “The harmful language that Republicans on the House Agriculture Committee included in the Farm Bill is a handout to Big Chemical and preempts states’ rights to regulate pesticide usage or labeling and provides a liability shield for pesticide manufacturers.” Click here to watch Pingree’s full remarks Transcript: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the ranking member for yielding me the time. I am sorry to say that this is a terrible Farm Bill. As a result of this bill, more people will go hungry. More farmers will lose assistance to conservation programs that are already oversubscribed. And more farmers who are struggling to make ends meet will find it more and more difficult to hang onto their farms. I have a lot of concerns about this bill, but I’d like to use the limited time I have to show strong support for Representative Luna’s pesticide amendment. I am proud to say that her amendment, which was made in order, mirrors the language of the bipartisan amendment I sponsored with Representative Massie, and I want to thank Representative Luna for also working on this important issue. Our amendment to strike the pesticide liability shield sections from the Farm Bill has drawn broad bipartisan support, both within this chamber and across Americ… | 1 | 2026-05-01T06:06:26Z | 2026-05-01T06:08:22Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6766 | Pingree Statement on House Passage of Republican Farm Bill | 2026-04-30 | 2026 | 2026-04 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), a longtime organic farmer and member of the House Agriculture Committee, released the following statement after the House passed Republicans’ Farm Bill: At a time when farmers are struggling in the face of rising costs and the President’s reckless tariffs, food insecurity is on the rise, and families are paying more for food than they ever have before, this Farm Bill fails to meet the moment. From failing to address desperately needed food assistance and cutting conservation funding, to providing massive subsidies to big agribusinesses and not including any resources for farmers in Maine and across the country impacted by PFAS contamination, the Republicans’ Farm Bill champions corporate interests over the well-being of small and mid-sized farmers, consumers, and rural communities. Once again, they’ve failed the American people. While I’m relieved that we were able to remove language that would have shielded giant chemical companies like Bayer from liability for harms caused by toxic pesticides, this bill does little to address the very real pain that millions of people across the country are feeling right now. Republicans talk a big game about being the champions of rural America. About helping hardworking families. About how they’re trying to ‘Make America Healthy Again.’ But when it comes time to walk that walk, they go where their corporate donors tell them to go—every time. This Farm Bill is no different. How do we expect Americans to eat healthier food when we refuse to support the very farmers who are working so hard to bring those options to market? Why are we giving more subsidies to giant corporations when family farms are struggling to get by? Why are we treating conservation, climate-smart solutions, nutrition, and public health as optional, instead of essential? It’s truly baffling to me. We have the resources, technologies, and people power to create the most productive and sustainable agriculture sector anywhere in the world. Instead of tapping into that… | 1 | 2026-05-01T06:06:26Z | 2026-05-01T06:08:22Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6768 | Pingree Statement on Governor Janet Mills, Applauds her Leadership and Legacy | 2026-04-30 | 2026 | 2026-04 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today released the following statement after Governor Janet Mills announced she would be suspending her campaign for U.S. Senate: I have deep respect and admiration for Governor Mills, and I’m proud to call her a friend. While I know this decision was a difficult one, I trust her judgment—and know she’s doing what she feels is best for herself, her family, and the people of Maine. As the first woman to ever lead our state, Governor Mills has overseen many remarkable accomplishments: expanding access to health care, investing in public education and childcare, providing free school meals, advancing clean-energy initiatives, protecting and expanding reproductive freedom, and so much more. Her commitment to addressing the climate crisis has been exceptional—setting ambitious clean energy targets, investing in coastal and community resilience, modernizing infrastructure, ensuring our state remains on track to meet its emissions-reductions goals—providing other states a visionary model to follow. I have no doubt that history will remember her as one of the best governors our state has ever had and that her legacy and impact will continue to shape our state for generations to come. I want to thank Governor Mills for her leadership, her accomplishments as Governor, and her unwavering dedication to the people of Maine. ### | 1 | 2026-05-01T06:06:26Z | 2026-05-01T06:08:22Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-urges-hegseth-to-pump-brakes-on-planned-trump-battleship | Golden urges Hegseth to pump brakes on planned Trump battleship | 2026-04-29 | 2026 | 2026-04 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today cautioned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth over plans to rush a costly, unproven battleship while slowing production of the proven DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers built at Bath Iron Works. Hegseth appeared before the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), on which Golden is a member, to present the Pentagon’s proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget. While the plan cuts production of DDG-51s, it includes $17 billion for a new “Trump-class” battleship on a rushed timeline. “Everyone on this committee knows about the Navy’s struggles to successfully design, manage and field new classes of ships,” Golden said, citing the Littoral Combat Ships, Zumwalt-class destroyers and Constellation-class frigates — all of which had to be scrapped due to challenges such as cost overruns, design problems and scheduling delays. “Recent history is littered with failed Navy efforts to replace existing, successful programs that remain the best in class worldwide — including the Bath-built Arleigh Burke destroyers. This isn’t the failure of our shipbuilders or our sailors. It’s a failure by top brass to learn a simple lesson: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. My sincere hope is that Secretary Hegseth, the Navy and Congress will pump the brakes on this battleship and focus on producing ships we know can meet our needs today.” Bath Iron Works has built dozens of Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, including USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr., which entered service earlier this month. Golden has long advocated, successfully, for multi-ship procurement in defense appropriations bills to ensure not only maritime combat readiness but stable demand for highly skilled, good-paying jobs at BIW. Hegseth himself called the destroyer the “workhorse” of the U.S. Navy when he visited BIW earlier this year and told shipbuilders that the Pentagon would “max out” on destroyer procurement. But the Fiscal Year 2027 budget proposal requests just one DDG-51. Instead, it proposes construction of a new battleship name… | 1 | 2026-06-04T06:38:12Z | 2026-06-04T06:39:44Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6763 | Pingree Blasts Republican Agriculture Funding Bill that Fails Farmers, Families, and Rural America | 2026-04-29 | 2026 | 2026-04 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), a longtime organic farmer and member of the House Agriculture Committee, spoke out against Republicans’ Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies FY2027 funding bill. During the House Appropriations Committee markup of the bill today, Pingree criticized the funding bill for cutting nutrition assistance, farmer support, conservation programs, local food initiatives, and USDA staffing at a time when families are struggling to afford healthy food and farmers are facing rising costs, extreme weather, and tariff chaos. “Republicans can say they care about farmers and the health of Americans. But the choices they make in this bill tell a very different story. Our farmers deserve better. Our rural communities deserve better. Families trying to put healthy food on the table deserve better,” Pingree said. Pingree argued that Republicans’ claims to support farmers and the “Make America Healthy Again” movement are contradicted by a bill that cuts WIC fruit and vegetable benefits, weakens local food systems, and includes poison pill riders that undermine fair competition and public health. “How do we expect to make America healthy if we are cutting the very benefit that helps pregnant women, new moms, babies, and young children access healthy fruits and vegetables?” Pingree said. “[…] This is at a time when nearly half of children in this country do not eat a vegetable every day. So, I just do not understand how anyone can say we are making America healthy while cutting the benefit that helps children eat healthy food.” For 2027, House Republicans agriculture funding bill provides $6.3 billion in discretionary funding, a 4 percent cut below 2026. The legislation: Increases costs for farmers and rural communities by steeply cutting critical investments, including water and waste grants to help the poorest communities get safer water services, and slashing the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) loans in half. Hurts farmers by cutting t… | 1 | 2026-04-30T06:05:15Z | 2026-04-30T06:07:09Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/maine-delegation-demands-answers-from-usps-for-failing-to-pay-rockland-contractor-more-than-349000-jeopardizing-mail-service-for-maine-island-communities | Maine Delegation Demands Answers from USPS for Failing to Pay Rockland Contractor More Than $349,000, Jeopardizing Mail Service for Maine Island Communities | 2026-04-27 | 2026 | 2026-04 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Maine’s Congressional Delegation is calling on the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to immediately resolve its payment issue with a Maine contractor that serves island communities. In a letter to Postmaster General David Steiner, U.S. Senators Angus King and Susan Collins and U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden condemned USPS for failing to pay the Rockland-based Penobscot Island Air (PIA) more than $349,000 for mail-delivery service and demanded answers about why USPS has, according to PIA, repeatedly failed to make timely payments for several years. After PIA announced it would not make its scheduled deliveries on Tuesday in protest, USPS agreed Wednesday to immediately pay 25% of the outstanding balance, and PIA promptly resumed service. But questions and concerns still remain. “For decades, Penobscot Island Air has helped the USPS deliver essential mail to Maine’s island residents. We urge you to immediately resolve the outstanding back payments and provide clarification on how these payment lapses occurred, as well as how delays can be prevented in the future,” the delegation wrote. “From Matinicus to Vinalhaven, island communities in Maine rely on the USPS to pay bills, receive life-saving medications, and stay connected with friends and family. Penobscot Island Air is an indispensable bridge between the mainland and islands that helps the Postal Service fulfill its promise of reaching every American, even in the most rural communities.” USPS’s failure to pay PIA is the latest example of recent disruptions to mail delivery in Maine. Over the past several months, delegation offices have received hundreds of complaints from constituents about delayed and inconsistent deliveries—particularly in rural communities. Together, these issues underscore the importance of ensuring that USPS has the necessary resources and staff to fulfill its mission of providing all Americans with reliable, affordable, and universal mail service—and that its agreements with contractors like PIA are fully h… | 1 | 2026-06-04T06:38:12Z | 2026-06-04T06:39:44Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6761 | Maine Delegation Demands Answers from USPS for Failing to Pay Rockland Contractor More Than $349,000, Jeopardizing Mail Service for Maine Island Communities | 2026-04-24 | 2026 | 2026-04 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Maine’s Congressional Delegation is calling on the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to immediately resolve its payment issue with a Maine contractor that serves island communities. In a letter to Postmaster General David Steiner, U.S. Senators Angus King and Susan Collins and U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden condemned USPS for failing to pay the Rockland-based Penobscot Island Air (PIA) more than $349,000 for mail-delivery service and demanded answers about why USPS has, according to PIA, repeatedly failed to make timely payments for several years. After PIA announced it would not make its scheduled deliveries on Tuesday in protest, USPS agreed Wednesday to immediately pay 25% of the outstanding balance, and PIA promptly resumed service. But questions and concerns still remain. “For decades, Penobscot Island Air has helped the USPS deliver essential mail to Maine’s island residents. We urge you to immediately resolve the outstanding back payments and provide clarification on how these payment lapses occurred, as well as how delays can be prevented in the future,” the delegation wrote. “From Matinicus to Vinalhaven, island communities in Maine rely on the USPS to pay bills, receive life-saving medications, and stay connected with friends and family. Penobscot Island Air is an indispensable bridge between the mainland and islands that helps the Postal Service fulfill its promise of reaching every American, even in the most rural communities.” USPS’s failure to pay PIA is the latest example of recent disruptions to mail delivery in Maine. Over the past several months, delegation offices have received hundreds of complaints from constituents about delayed and inconsistent deliveries—particularly in rural communities. Together, these issues underscore the importance of ensuring that USPS has the necessary resources and staff to fulfill its mission of providing all Americans with reliable, affordable, and universal mail service—and that its agreements with contractors like PIA are fully honored. The … | 1 | 2026-04-25T05:38:36Z | 2026-04-25T05:40:21Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6758 | Pingree, Massie Team Up to Strip Big Chemical Immunity from Farm Bill | 2026-04-22 | 2026 | 2026-04 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Congressman Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) are teaming up to introduce an amendment to the Farm Bill that fights back against immunity for chemical companies and protects the health of Americans. Republicans’ Farm Bill, which is expected to be taken up by the House next week, includes provisions that would shield chemical manufacturers like Bayer from lawsuits and would preempt state and local warning label laws or usage regulations for potentially harmful products. The Pingree-Massie Protect Our Health Amendment would remove this harmful language from the Farm Bill. Cosponsors of the amendment include Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), and Eugene Vindman (D-Va.). “Big Chemical has spent years trying to buy exactly this kind of protection from Congress: immunity from lawsuits, weaker safeguards, and a federal override of state and local pesticide protections. This Farm Bill would hand it to them on a silver platter,” Pingree said. “If a company’s product makes people sick, that company should be held accountable. If states and local communities want to put stronger protections in place, they should have every right to do so. I’m grateful to Congressman Massie for joining me in this fight. This is beyond politics and party lines. Congress should be protecting families, farmers, and children, not doing favors for Bayer and other chemical giants.” “Americans need to know: our government is under siege by lobbyists for German company Bayer,” said Massie. “Bayer has spent over $9 million lobbying for exemption from liability for harm its chemicals, like glyphosate, might cause. To Make America Healthy Again, Congress should remove the language containing the pesticide liability shield from the Farm Bill.” Seven states—Maine, Alaska, Hawaii, Maryland, Utah, Nevada, and Vermont—do not preempt local governments from regulating pesticide use within their jurisdictions. In Maine alone, there are more than 30 state and local regulatio… | 1 | 2026-04-23T05:48:52Z | 2026-04-23T05:50:10Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6757 | WATCH: Ranking Member Pingree Blasts Burgum for Sabotaging Renewable Energy as Gas Prices Soar | 2026-04-20 | 2026 | 2026-04 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Today, during the House Appropriations Interior and Environment Subcommittee hearing for the Fiscal Year 2027 budget request with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Ranking Member Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) condemned the Trump Administration’s aggressive campaign against renewable energy as gas prices soar. In her opening remarks, Pingree outlined the Administration’s clear pattern of propping up Big Oil and sabotaging renewable energy projects, while also failing to uphold the Department’s mission to protect and manage our natural resources, to uphold our trust and treaty obligations, and to follow the science. “All of these dirty deals are to benefit industry. And it’s at the expense of the American people. Americans are now paying an average of $4.04 for a gallon of gas. According to Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, gas prices could peak at $4.36 a gallon, costing the average household $740 more for gas this year,” Pingree said. “So it makes no sense to me why this administration would be actively sabotaging renewable energy, which we know is the cheaper and more affordable energy option for families. Honestly, it just makes me very angry. This administration’s policies are causing an affordability crisis and there seems to be a lack of focus on what the Department’s mission actually is.” The fiscal year 2027 budget requests $15 billion for the Department of the Interior: Renewable Energy: cuts $45 million from the Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and eliminates renewable energy funding which includes onshore and offshore wind energy. Bureau of Land Management: cuts $480 million and slashes funding for Wildlife and Aquatic Habitat Management by $139 million, which includes funding for sage grouse and threatened and endangered species. US Fish and Wildlife (FWS): cuts $526 million, decreasing the National Wildlife Refuge System by 20 percent, eliminates grant programs managed by States, Tribes, and other nations, and moves NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service … | 1 | 2026-04-21T05:46:59Z | 2026-04-21T05:48:34Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-votes-to-extend-protection-from-deportation-for-haitians | Golden votes to extend protection from deportation for Haitians | 2026-04-16 | 2026 | 2026-04 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today voted to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Haitian nationals until January 2029. Golden released the following statement: “Allowing TPS to expire would put lives at risk and create even greater instability in Haiti, threatening the security of the United States. Multiple administrations from both parties, as well as international bodies, have recognized the dangerous situation on the ground in Haiti, where armed gangs and drug traffickers effectively control most of the country. A mass deportation would effectively force Haitian immigrants with Temporary Protected Status to join these criminal organizations or be put in their crosshairs. It’s not an exaggeration to say that for many, it could be a death sentence. That’s just not who we are.” TPS designation was extended to Haiti in 2010 after the deadliest earthquake in the history of the Western hemisphere, which killed hundreds of thousands and displaced more than 1 million Haitians. Since then, crises have continued to rock the island nation. Last year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a “Do Not Travel” advisory due to kidnapping, crime, terrorist activity, civil unrest and limited health care. ### | 1 | 2026-05-27T06:38:34Z | 2026-05-27T06:40:17Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-votes-to-protect-us-negotiating-position-in-iran | Golden votes to protect U.S. negotiating position in Iran | 2026-04-16 | 2026 | 2026-04 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — As negotiations between the United States and Iran continue, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today voted against a war powers resolution that would weaken the U.S. position by withdrawing military forces from the region. Golden released the following statement: “The purported aim of this and other War Powers resolutions is to stop the hostilities. Thankfully, the United States and Iran are currently in a ceasefire, and we are negotiating over critical questions of national security and international order. I believe we must maintain a strong negotiation position over Iran’s nuclear program, freedom of movement in the international waters at the Strait of Hormuz, and how to achieve a durable peace between our two nations. At this moment, a resolution like this would weaken our hand.” ### | 1 | 2026-05-22T06:27:39Z | 2026-05-22T06:29:18Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6739 | Pingree Calls on ICE to Release Mainer Indefinitely Detained in Texas Detention Center | 2026-04-16 | 2026 | 2026-04 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) is calling on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to immediately release Olivia Andre, a 19-year-old student who has been detained in the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas since November. In a letter to ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, Pingree questioned the legal basis for Andre’s continued detention, as no explanation has been given to Andre or her legal counsel. “ICE has failed to provide any clear, written explanation for why she alone continues to be detained. This lack of transparency, especially to Ms. Andre and her legal counsel, is unacceptable and indefensible,” Pingree said. Andre and her family are asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and have been living in Portland, where Andre was a first-year nursing student. The rest of her family—mother Carine Balenda Mbizi; brother Joel Andre, 16; and sister Estafania Andre, 14—were released from the Dilley Processing Center last month. Pingree’s letter comes amid reports of deplorable conditions at ICE detention centers, particularly at the Dilley facility, where detainees have reported severe lack of medical care, inadequate access to food, water, personal hygiene, and basic care. Andre has reportedly lost over 20 pounds since being detained. Her mental health has suffered as a result of detention and unnecessary family separation, writing in a letter to Pingree that she feels “lost, alone, and many times feel like I no longer have the strength to keep going.” This inhumane treatment is causing real long-term trauma for detainees—especially young people and children, who are particularly vulnerable to long-term psychological and developmental harms. “ICE’s failure to provide counsel with the basic grounds of her ongoing detention reflects a serious breakdown in process and raises profound due process concerns,” Pingree continued. “When the government deprives someone of their liberty, it should at the bare minimum be able to clearly state why. Here, ICE has failed to do th… | 1 | 2026-04-17T05:47:03Z | 2026-04-17T05:48:33Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6736 | Three Maine Students Accepted to US Service Academies, Pingree Announces | 2026-04-15 | 2026 | 2026-04 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) announced three students she nominated have been accepted to U.S. Service Academies. Reed Proscia of Freeport High School and Alberto Cutone of Kennebunk High School will both attend the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and Kaitlyn Dostie of Camden Hills Regional High School will attend the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y. “Earning acceptance to a U.S. Service Academy is an extraordinary accomplishment and a testament to a student’s hard work, leadership, and commitment to service,” said Pingree. “Reed, Alberto, and Kaitlyn have each distinguished themselves through their academic achievements, strength of character, and dedication to serving something larger than themselves. I’m incredibly proud to have nominated them and thrilled to see them accepted to the Naval Academy and Merchant Marine Academy. I know they will represent Maine well, and I wish them every success as they begin this next chapter.” “My desire to serve as a commissioned officer in the United States Navy is rooted in my passion for leading people around me, whether it be my teammates as captain, my class as a student officer, or the future generation as their sports coach,” Reed wrote in her nomination request. “Everything I have worked towards on the field and in the classroom aligns with the Naval Academy's commitment to developing physically and intellectually fit leaders of the country. I am confident my athletic and academic mindset have prepared me for the rigor of the Academy. I aim to lead with integrity, serving alongside others with the same mindset, and positively contribute to the Navy's mission.” “I'm drawn to the Naval Academy because it's more than just college. It is a place that pushes you to be your best and values high standards. The chance to learn alongside people committed to service, academic excellence, and moral integrity is exactly the environment I want. I'm driven to grow and succeed, never resting on past achievements, and I believe the… | 1 | 2026-04-16T05:48:36Z | 2026-04-16T05:50:08Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6734 | Why a progressive and a MAHA activist are joining forces against Big Chemical | 2026-04-08 | 2026 | 2026-04 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Op-Ed published in The Hill You would not expect the two of us to be writing an op-ed together. One of us is a progressive U.S. congresswoman and longtime organic farmer from Maine — someone who has spent decades fighting for organic and regenerative agriculture, access to healthy food, and accountability for corporate polluters. The other is a leader in the “Make America Healthy Again” or “MAHA” movement, a grassroots movement advocating for access to nutritious food and reducing reliance on synthetic inputs in agriculture. Moms who care about the safety of the food their kids are eating. MAHA advocates — everyday Americans who are concerned by the health effects of ultra-processed foods — are often associated with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and voters who backed President Trump. And yet here we are, united by three simple beliefs: that everyone should be able to eat food that is free of toxic chemicals; that people should have proper warning about possible health-risks associated with chemical use; and that giant corporations should not get special immunity when their products pose real health risks. Behind the headlines about glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, are real human beings: a school groundskeeper who developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after years of spraying Roundup; a homeowner diagnosed with the same cancer after using it around his property for decades; a California couple, both diagnosed after years of exposure; a child in France born with a severe congenital disorder; a mother who lost her infant daughter soon after birth. These are not statistics. They are people whose lives were upended while one of the most powerful chemical companies in the world insisted everything was fine. Bayer has now paid roughly $10 billion to settle lawsuits related to Roundup. The company recently announced a proposed additional settlement of up to $7.25 billion to address current and future cases. You do not set aside that kind of money because there is nothing to worry about. You do it because the scien… | 1 | 2026-04-10T05:46:57Z | 2026-04-10T05:48:19Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-announces-reopening-of-west-paris-post-office-tomorrow | Golden announces reopening of West Paris Post Office tomorrow | 2026-04-03 | 2026 | 2026-04 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today announced that the West Paris Post Office will reopen Saturday, April 4, after being closed since 2021. The reopening comes after years of delays and a lack of transparency from the United States Postal Service (USPS) about the future of the town’s post office. Since its abrupt closure, Golden has repeatedly pushed the USPS for a concrete reopening plan, and has introduced bipartisan legislation that would prevent similarly unannounced closures in rural communities. The new West Paris Post Office is located at 141 Bethel Road, which was previously home to the Ledgeview Living Center. After failing to renew its lease at 238 Main Street in May 2021, the USPS declined to offer any specific plans or deadlines for a reopening — a dilemma that some locals said “left a void in the community.” “Restoring faith in government starts with making it work at the local level, and I’m glad West Paris residents no longer have to travel to another community to access basic mail services,” Golden said. “While the USPS should have been more prompt and transparent throughout this process, this reopening is a happy ending to the saga — and welcome news for the many families who have reached out to me about equal access to the post office.” “The American Postal Workers of Maine is more than excited to have the doors open again to the West Paris, Maine, Post Office. The Post Office is an integral part of all communities by providing rural mail delivery, getting medications to its residents, especially veterans, voting by mail, parcel services and money orders,” said Jennifer Garland, executive vice president of the American Postal Workers Union of Maine. “The APWU of Maine would like to thank Rep. Golden for keeping attention focused on and fighting with us to re-open this office for the West Paris community and the employees of this office.” The agency’s handling of the West Paris Post Office was one motivation for Golden and a group of bipartisan colleagues to introduce the Pro… | 1 | 2026-05-17T06:10:29Z | 2026-05-17T06:12:11Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6732 | Pingree Statement on Firing of Pam Bondi | 2026-04-02 | 2026 | 2026-04 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement on President Trump firing Attorney General Pam Bondi: Pam Bondi will go down as the worst, most incompetent, and most corrupt Attorney General in American history. Her firing was long overdue—and richly deserved. From the day she arrived at the Department of Justice, Bondi’s primary objectives were painfully clear: to go after the President’s enemies and to protect Donald Trump at all costs. From directing prosecutors to bring baseless charges against Democratic politicians and refusing to release the full Epstein files in accordance with the law, to her embarrassing, unprofessional behavior during high-profile public hearings (including lying under oath), Bondi demonstrated time and again that she lacked the judgment, temperament, and decision-making required of the nation’s top law enforcement official. And these are just the top-line failures. That so many of these pursuits required redirecting critical resources from far more pressing matters—combatting organized crime, prosecuting corruption, protecting the American people from all manner of threats—has objectively made our country less safe, and done incredible damage to the DOJ's reputation. For Donald Trump, loyalty has always been a one-way street. Bondi’s firing only reaffirms what we've known for years: that no amount of blind fealty or blatant corruption on his behalf will spare you from his erratic impulses. I have little doubt that many others will learn that same lesson before his time in office is up. Whoever is chosen as the next AG, they have a serious and solemn responsibility to ensure the DOJ returns to its core mission of serving the American people—and not capitulating to the paranoia and petty grievances of a man whose sole aim is to protect and enrich himself. It should be noted that the House Oversight Committee was set to depose Bondi on April 14 over the DOJ's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and her shambolic handling of the Epstein files. Getting fired d… | 1 | 2026-04-03T05:34:17Z | 2026-04-03T05:35:48Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-votes-against-house-republicans-dhs-dodge | Golden votes against House Republicans’ DHS dodge | 2026-03-27 | 2026 | 2026-03 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) voted tonight against a 60-day Continuing Resolution to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and urged House leadership to call a vote on the bipartisan, full-year appropriation approved earlier this week by the Senate. “For more than a month, the DHS shutdown has caused chaos at airports as TSA agents have gone without pay, while our Coast Guard and emergency agencies are undermined without funding from Congress,” Golden said. “I have voted for every bill to fund DHS since before the shutdown began, and I remain open to any serious proposal with a real path toward becoming law. I see no reason to believe this 60-day stopgap will pass the Senate anytime soon, so I could not support the House GOP’s effort to keep kicking the can down the road. The Senate passed a bipartisan compromise that ensures funding for every agency in DHS for the full fiscal year. It’s time for House Republicans to take the deal.” The Senate bill would fund all of DHS except for immigration agencies, which are already funded through the GOP’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Earlier this week, Golden signed a discharge petition to force a vote on a similar bill in the House of Representatives. ### | 1 | 2026-05-15T06:17:41Z | 2026-05-15T06:18:51Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6726 | Pingree, Murphy, King Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Protect Small Farmers from Financial Risk | 2026-03-12 | 2026 | 2026-03 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) introduced the Agricultural Management Assistance Act to reauthorize and improve the Partnership for Risk Management Education and the Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) programs, which help farmers manage financial risk through diversification, marketing, or conservation practices. The AMA program is only available to 16 states that have historically low rates of participation in the Federal Crop Insurance Program, including Maine. U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Angus King (I-Maine) introduced companion legislation in the Senate. The Agriculture Management Assistance Act would boost funding for the AMA to $30 million, increase funding limits for farmers to $200,000 over five years, and expand the eligible uses for these funds to include: soil health improvements, composting, supporting perennial crop production, and food safety certification in addition to existing authorized uses such as water management structure and soil erosion control. “Farmers in Maine and across the country are facing unprecedented uncertainty—from extreme weather and rising costs to volatile markets. Programs like Agricultural Management Assistance give farms the tools they need to manage risk, invest in soil health and conservation, and keep their operations viable for the long term,” said Pingree. "I’m proud to partner with Senators Murphy and King to strengthen this program and ensure farmers in states like Maine have the support they need to adapt and thrive.” “Connecticut’s small farmers are really important to the diversity of our state’s food supply, but they face unique challenges, especially as climate change worsens,” said Murphy. “Our bill provides small farmers with the support they need to navigate financial risks and invests in making their farms more resilient and efficient in the long term.” “Maine’s farmers are the backbone of our rural communities, and they deserve the same safeguards and assistance that we provide other industries across the country,” … | 1 | 2026-04-04T05:28:40Z | 2026-04-04T05:30:10Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-collins-king-demand-irs-re-open-bangor-and-augusta-tax-assistance-centers | Golden, Collins, King demand IRS re-open Bangor and Augusta Tax Assistance Centers | 2026-03-10 | 2026 | 2026-03 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Jared Golden and U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King are calling on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to immediately reverse the closure of its Augusta and Bangor Tax Assistance Centers (TAC). TACs are physical offices which offer assistance to Mainers who lack stable internet access, need help navigating technology, or otherwise need in-person assistance. With the Presque Isle TAC having previously been shuttered and Downeast Maine long lacking its own TAC, some rural Mainers already traveled hundreds of miles to access the IRS’ services in Bangor. If the Bangor and Augusta offices — the only locations available in the Second District — were to remain closed, a resident of Fort Kent could face a roughly ten-hour, 600-mile trip to Maine’s only remaining TAC in South Portland. The trio recently contacted the IRS after receiving reports from constituents that the TACs they planned on using this filing season had closed. Following confirmation of the closures from the agency, the lawmakers are now making the case that rural Maine deserves the same quality of assistance as those living in the southern part of the state — especially for navigating the new tax provisions created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. “TACs provide critical services to rural communities and seniors,” the lawmakers wrote. “...We ask that you restaff and re-open the TACs in Bangor and Augusta in a timely manner, and work with the Maine Congressional Delegation on a longer-term strategy to avoid future prolonged disruptions to these services in Maine.” In addition to asking for a long-term plan to re-open the Presque Isle TAC, the lawmakers are also pressing the IRS for answers on how the federal hiring freeze affected TAC staffing in Maine, whether Mainers who are unable to access tax assistance will receive an extended deadline to file, and what the agency’s plans are to help affected Mainers in the meantime. Last year, the IRS rolled back a previously scheduled closure of its Bangor TAC after ou… | 1 | 2026-05-15T06:17:41Z | 2026-05-15T06:18:51Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6724 | The 19th: This Democrat built a farm-to-politics career. Now she’s working with MAHA moms. | 2026-03-09 | 2026 | 2026-03 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Published in The 19th Long before entering politics, Rep. Chellie Pingree was a self-described hippie, a back-to-the-lander and an organic farmer. In the 1970s, after attending college in Maine, she saw an opportunity to live a more sustainable life there. She decided to stay, and moved to an island off the coast where she and her husband started a small farm and sold their produce at a local market. Pingree’s passion for farming influenced her legislative work at the state and federal level. Representing Maine’s 1st District in Congress since 2009, the 70-year-old Democrat has focused on bolstering organic food production, creating better access to healthy foods for kids and fighting pesticides. If her priorities sound familiar, it may be because much of her life’s work on these issues aligns neatly with certain facets of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, which is led by current Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. but gained momentum through the support of moms on social media. But while the Democratic lawmaker is far from a supporter of Kennedy, she saw early into the second Trump administration the potential of working with MAHA activists. “It’s kind of a no-brainer in many ways,” she said. “We have a lot in common.” And as MAHA moms, in particular, are conflicted about some of Kennedy and President Donald’s Trump’s recent decisions, it’s an even better opportunity to find common ground. Most sustainable agriculture-related issues are populist and bipartisan at their core, she said, adding: “I really don’t think that these are necessarily left or right. I think the questions around toxins in our food and food is medicine, and the opposition to Big Ag and big chemical companies is very universal. This just really broadens the coalition of people.” Pingree had also seen how Kennedy’s message resonated with farmers in her district. When he visited her state as a presidential hopeful, “A lot of people went to hear him, and it was partly because of his interest in alternat… | 1 | 2026-04-04T05:28:40Z | 2026-04-04T05:30:10Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-re-introduces-bill-to-highlight-address-national-debt | Golden re-introduces bill to highlight, address national debt | 2026-03-05 | 2026 | 2026-03 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) and a bipartisan group of colleagues have re-introduced legislation to increase transparency and provide greater insight about the growing national debt. The Debt-to-GDP Transparency and Stabilization Act, introduced with GOP Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11), would require the President’s annual budget and congressional budget resolutions to include the ratio of the public debt to the estimated gross domestic product (GDP). The House Budget Committee passed this legislation by voice vote in the 118th Congress. “It’s essential that the national debt is front of mind for lawmakers when making decisions about the federal budget,” Golden said. “Equipping Congress with more information about bills’ impact on the debt will enable more informed lawmaking, and I’m encouraged by the strong bipartisan support for this easy solution.” The national debt stands at nearly $39 trillion, according to data from the Treasury Department, and is currently on track to reach 175 percent of GDP by 2056, according to the latest long-term outlook by the Congressional Budget Office. Interest payments on the debt are the fastest-growing line item in the federal budget and already eclipse nearly all social safety net spending. Continued unchecked debt growth threatens to crowd out essential services such as Social Security and Medicare. “Our national debt is the greatest internal threat to our country,” Smucker said. “Tackling our national debt must be a priority. This legislation increases transparency and creates accountability in Washington to deliver real, tangible solutions. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle recognize the urgency of addressing the debt crisis, and I’m hopeful this legislation will help correct our fiscal trajectory and ensure our nation’s long-term economic prosperity.” Additional cosponsors of the Debt-to-GDP Transparency and Stabilization Act include Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE-02), Ben Cline (R-VA-06), Don Davis (D-NC-01), Marie Gluesenkamp-Perez (D-WA-03), Glenn Grothman (… | 1 | 2026-05-02T05:53:08Z | 2026-05-02T05:54:44Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-statement-on-war-powers-resolution-vote | Golden statement on War Powers resolution vote | 2026-03-05 | 2026 | 2026-03 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today voted against a War Powers Resolution sponsored by Reps. Thomas Massie (KY-04) and Ro Khanna (CA-17) that would have forced an immediate end of military operations in Iran. The resolution failed in a 212-219 vote. Golden has instead joined Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05) to sponsor a resolution that would give President Donald Trump 30 days to end military action and prohibit the deployment of ground troops without explicit congressional authority. Golden released the following statement: “The president has not provided sufficient clarity for why this action was necessary at this exact moment. But servicemembers are actively engaged in hostilities, our allies are under attack and the Iranian regime is more desperate than ever to reassert its power. While I do not believe that an abrupt about-face is a good course of action given the reality on the ground, that should not be construed as my approval. While conflict requires that we remain flexible to shifting circumstances, at this time I would not support Congressional authorization or funding for sustained combat operations. “The president has so far acted within the authorities given to him by Congress through the War Powers Act of 1973. He has been briefing Congress, and he has 60 days to make his case for ongoing operations. This is not an illegal war — but it could become one. “There are reasonable constraints Congress should impose. I urge my colleagues to join me in passing the Resolution I have introduced with Congressman Gottheimer, which would cut the president’s authorized timeline for military action to 30 days and prohibit the deployment of ground troops outside the context of search-and-rescue or intelligence gathering. A month is plenty of time for the president to make his case to the American people — and for Congress to weigh in.” ### | 1 | 2026-05-14T06:11:37Z | 2026-05-14T06:12:56Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6721 | Pingree Statement on Firing of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem | 2026-03-05 | 2026 | 2026-03 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement on the firing of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem: Kristi Noem’s firing was long overdue. Her tenure as Secretary of Homeland Security will be remembered as one of the most corrupt, reckless, and disgraceful chapters in the department’s history. Under Noem’s leadership, DHS abandoned its core mission of protecting the American people and instead became a political weapon. Families were torn apart. Communities—including in Maine—were terrorized by violent enforcement tactics. Lawful residents and American citizens were swept up in operations that too often operated outside the bounds of accountability and basic decency. At the same time, Noem treated the department as a vehicle for her own self-promotion and political ambitions, relying on cynical PR stunts and constant misinformation to obscure the damage being done. The consequences of that leadership have been devastating. Americans were killed in the streets while DHS leadership deflected responsibility and doubled down on cruelty. Entire communities were traumatized by policies designed to intimidate rather than protect. The bloodshed and chaos that occurred under her watch demands far more than a quiet exit from office. Whoever is in charge of DHS next—whether it’s Senator Markwayne Mullin or someone else—will inherit an agency in urgent need of reform. Nowhere is that clearer than at ICE, which has been empowered and emboldened by the staggering $170 billion it received through the Big Ugly Bill. That funding is already being used to expand mass surveillance, ramp up aggressive enforcement operations, and deploy poorly trained, unaccountable agents into communities across the country. Kristi Noem needed to go. But let’s not forget the real architect behind the Administration’s cruel and dangerous immigration policy: Stephen Miller. He needs to be fired next. This action does not move the needle, for me, on funding DHS. We must confront the abuses that occurre… | 1 | 2026-04-04T05:28:40Z | 2026-04-04T05:30:10Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6722 | Pingree Statement on the Bipartisan Iran War Powers Resolution | 2026-03-05 | 2026 | 2026-03 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement on her vote for the bipartisan War Powers Resolution, which would have restricted the Trump Administration from taking further military action in Iran without Congressional approval: ### | 1 | 2026-04-04T05:28:40Z | 2026-04-04T05:30:10Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-lauds-noaa-for-hiring-mainer-as-fisherman-in-residence | Golden lauds NOAA for hiring Mainer as ‘Fisherman in Residence’ | 2026-03-03 | 2026 | 2026-03 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — In a letter to top leaders at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) lauded the recent creation of the position of “Fisherman in Residence” and the appointment of Mainer Dustin Delano to the post. Delano, of Friendship, is a fourth-generation lobsterman and leading advocate for Maine’s seafood harvesters. Thanks to his experience, knowledge and the respect of his peers, Delano has held positions on the board of the Maine Lobstermen's Association and the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative. He also helped create the New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association in 2023. As Fisherman in Residence, Delano is tasked with strengthening communications between fishermen and NOAA, making federal fishery management processes more accessible and responsive to fishermen, and enhancing decision-making frameworks so they reflect industry realities and support balanced outcomes, among other responsibilities. “Mr. Delano is a perfect fit for the position,” Golden wrote in a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere Dr. Neil Jacobs. “[His] exemplary record as a fisherman and advocate for the marine resources economy speaks for itself. I applaud NOAA for identifying the need for a real harvester, not another bureaucrat, to have a seat at the table and to provide input and clarity on fisheries issues.” Golden, a member of the House Natural Resources Committee (HNRC), voiced his support for the Fisherman in Residence as other Democrats on the committee launched unfair attacks against Delano. HNRC Ranking Member Jared Huffman (CA-02) and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Maxine Dexter (OR-03) questioned Delano’s fitness for the position in a letter earlier this week. They insinuated he had “conflicts of interest” because of his fishing experience and advocacy for Maine harvesters — even though that experience was the very reason he was appointed to the post. Huffman and Dexter “… | 1 | 2026-05-02T05:53:08Z | 2026-05-02T05:54:44Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-now-accepting-applications-for-community-project-funding | Golden now accepting applications for Community Project Funding | 2026-03-02 | 2026 | 2026-03 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — The office of Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) is now accepting applications for Community Project Funding (CPF) for the 2027 Fiscal Year. As part of the annual appropriations process, eligible entities may submit applications to their members of Congress for project-specific funding. Recently, Golden secured nearly $14 million in the most recent appropriations process, including CPF to support: improvements to support working waterfronts; investments that reduce pressure on property taxes, such as wastewater treatment facilities; and modernization and new equipment for emergency responders such as police and fire departments. Eligible applicants this year may include but are not limited to state and municipal governments and their agencies, colleges and universities, and certain types of nonprofit organizations. Interested parties should visit Golden’s website for more information about the types of projects and organizations that are eligible this year, or email Deputy District Director Zach Schmesser at GoldenCPF@mail.house.gov with any questions. All applications must be received by 4 p.m. on March 11, 2026. Golden for years has been one of the most effective members of Congress in securing funding for projects in his district. In FY 2024, Golden secured more than $25 million of CPF — the most of any Democrat in Congress. “Helping worthwhile projects get the funding they need is one of the most direct ways I can support our District, and my staff and I are more than happy to chat through any proposals that could benefit Mainers,” Golden said. “If you have any ideas or questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to learn more about the CPF application process. We’re here to help.” ### | 1 | 2026-04-30T06:05:15Z | 2026-04-30T06:07:09Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6719 | Pingree Statement on Trump’s War in Iran | 2026-02-28 | 2026 | 2026-02 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement on President Trump’s unauthorized war in Iran: “Early this morning, President Trump launched a major attack on Iran and openly called for regime change—without consulting Congress and without seeking authorization from the American people’s elected representatives. That is a flagrant violation of the Constitution and a dangerous escalation that puts American service members, civilians in the region, and global stability at grave risk. Republicans will inevitably try to downplay this action as something short of war. The President himself makes clear that is false. In his own words: 'The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties. That often happens in war.' When a president acknowledges casualties and calls it war, Congress cannot pretend otherwise. The consequences are already unfolding. Iran has launched retaliatory strikes across the region. A U.S. Navy base in Bahrain has been hit. Airspace over the UAE and Qatar has been shut down. Iran-allied militias in Iraq have announced they will begin attacking American bases. Israelis are racing to bomb shelters. Civilians in Tehran are fleeing their homes. This is not a limited operation—this is a war, and it is spreading by the hour. The President took this country into that war based on claims his own intelligence community has not confirmed. The New York Times reports this morning that Trump's central assertions about Iran's nuclear program—that it had restarted, that Iran had enough material for a bomb within days, that it had missiles capable of reaching the United States—are either false or unproven. We were told similar things before Iraq. We know how that ended. The American people are still living with the consequences of wars launched without accountability or an endgame. We cannot repeat those mistakes. My colleagues have introduced a bipartisan War Powers Resolution, and Democrats were already planning to force a vote the moment Congress reconven… | 1 | 2026-04-04T05:28:40Z | 2026-04-04T05:30:10Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-bipartisan-colleagues-introduce-bill-to-formally-review-mental-health-programs-for-servicemembers-and-veterans | Golden, bipartisan colleagues introduce bill to formally review mental health programs for servicemembers and veterans | 2026-02-27 | 2026 | 2026-02 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressmen Jared Golden (ME-02), Jack Bergman (MI-01), Tom Suozzi (NY-03), and Don Bacon (NE-02) have introduced the Improving Mental Health Support for Servicemembers and Veterans Act, which would launch a formal review into the effectiveness of the federal government’s mental health programs for veterans and transitioning servicemembers in an effort to address longstanding accessibility issues. “When I came home from the Marines, I saw how important it is to have a strong support system in your corner. The VA is full of skilled public servants who do that work, but there’s only so much an individual employee can do about the fundamental gaps in service created by an imperfect system,” Golden said. “I’m grateful for the partnership of Congressmen Bergman, Bacon and Suozzi in the effort to show VA leaders just how lacking the agency’s outreach, rural logistics, and staffing efforts have been.” “I’ve seen firsthand how the transition from active duty to civilian life can be one of the most vulnerable periods in a servicemember’s career. We owe our men and women in uniform more than gratitude - we owe them accountability and results,” Bergman said. “The Improving Mental Health Support for Servicemembers and Veterans Act ensures the Department of War and VA are working together effectively, eliminating gaps and duplication, and delivering real access to mental health care when it matters most. By requiring measurable standards, regular review, and transparency to Congress, this bill strengthens the transition process and helps ensure no Veteran falls through the cracks.” “Too many veterans and service members fall through the cracks when transitioning from active duty to civilian life. We have to do better,” Suozzi said. “It’s our responsibility as lawmakers and Americans to make sure that everyone who serves our country receives the healthcare, including mental healthcare, they deserve,” said Congressman Tom Suozzi. “It’s common sense to assess and improve veterans’ health services of all kinds as … | 1 | 2026-04-28T06:05:12Z | 2026-04-28T06:07:17Z |
| https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-statement-on-supreme-court-striking-down-trump-s-tariffs | Golden statement on Supreme Court striking down Trump’s tariffs | 2026-02-20 | 2026 | 2026-02 | Democrat | House | ME | Jared F. Golden | G000592 | golden.house.gov | golden | https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the vast majority of tariffs implemented by President Donald Trump in his second term. “Today’s ruling reaffirms that the most durable way to rebalance trade in favor of American workers isn’t tariffs by executive action: It’s Congress reasserting its power and passing them into law. A good place to start is my bipartisan Secure Trade Act, which includes a 10 percent baseline tariff,” Golden said. “America’s broken trade order decimated domestic manufacturing and Maine’s heritage industries, all to uphold a system where we consume far more than we produce,” he added. “Tariffs remain a proven tool to restore balance and tilt the scales back in favor of American manufacturing. I remain committed to ensuring our country uses this tool — whether at the president’s direction or the Congress’s.” In its decision today, the Supreme Court ruled that two broad sets of tariffs implemented by President Trump under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA), were unconstitutional. The first set were targeted against Canada, Mexico, and China in response to an emergency declaration regarding the illegal flow of fentanyl into the United States. The second set included the president’s 10 percent baseline tariff and other “reciprocal tariffs” levied against dozens of countries, aimed at reducing the United States’ trade deficit. The Court ruled that the president cannot claim tariff authority under IEEPA. The Trump administration has already indicated it will seek other executive authorities to restore as many of the struck-down tariffs as it can. Golden has been a leading voice in the Democratic party for rebalancing America’s free trade agenda in favor of American workers and domestic manufacturing. His bipartisan Secure Trade Act would codify a 10 percent tariff baseline on all imported goods while further elevating tariffs on some strategic goods from China and reducing foreign acquis… | 1 | 2026-04-17T05:47:03Z | 2026-04-17T05:48:33Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6709 | Pingree Tees Up Farm Bill Fight Over Pesticides, Big Chemical Immunity | 2026-02-20 | 2026 | 2026-02 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), a longtime organic farmer and senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, announced today that she will be introducing an amendment to the Republican Farm Bill that fights back against chemical companies and protects the health of Americans. Republicans’ Farm Bill includes provisions that would shield chemical manufacturers like Bayer from lawsuits and would preempt state and local warning label laws or usage regulations. The Pingree Protect Our Health Amendment would remove this harmful language from the Farm Bill. In January, Pingree successfully got a similar provision taken out of the FY2026 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill. “Once again, the Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress are siding with chemical companies and choosing corporate profits over Americans’ health—while paying lip service to the ‘Make America Healthy Again’ movement. This Farm Bill is a gift to Big Chemical, plain and simple. It delivers exactly what giants like Bayer have spent years lobbying for: blanket immunity from lawsuits and the power to gut the state warning label laws that protect families, farmers, and children,” Pingree said. “This provision would handcuff states and local communities when federal regulators drag their feet or bow to industry pressure, and it would slam the courthouse doors on people who’ve been poisoned and harmed. I have fought this industry-written language before, and I won. I am ready to fight it again. Public health, local control, and accountability are not bargaining chips, and they should never be sacrificed to shield polluters from responsibility.” On Wednesday, President Trump signed an Executive Order to increase domestic production of glyphosate—a widely used weedkiller that has been linked to multiple health issues, including non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Outside of the upcoming Farm Bill fight, Pingree and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) have joined forces to introduce the No Immunity for Glyphosate Act, which would undo Trump’s recent E… | 1 | 2026-04-04T05:28:40Z | 2026-04-04T05:30:10Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6711 | Pingree Statement on Supreme Court Decision to Strike Down Trump’s Illegal Sweeping Tariffs | 2026-02-20 | 2026 | 2026-02 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement on the Supreme Court's decision rejecting President Trump's illegal tariffs: I’m relieved that the Supreme Court has finally acknowledged Trump’s chaotic tariff policy as a clear case of executive overreach. This is a win for businesses and industries that have struggled to navigate the uncertainty surrounding trade policy that was based on nothing more than the President’s egotistical impulse to impose tariffs on an immediate, boundless basis under the guise of an emergency measure. But while this ruling may provide momentary relief, we must acknowledge that Trump is insistent on reinstating these tariffs through other methods and means. Trump’s tariffs have done incredible damage to our economy, to our relationships with key allies, and to the pocketbooks of millions of Americans. Maine’s core industries have suffered greatly: falling lobster exports, family dairy farms being pushed to the brink, our lumber and paper companies hit by retaliatory tariffs and rising input costs—the list goes on. Meanwhile, the increased prices caused by Trump’s reckless tariffs are taking a serious toll on Maine households, at a time when many are already struggling with rising inflation, skyrocketing health care costs, and an economy that’s been increasingly rigged to benefit billionaires and big corporations. When used in the right way, tariffs can protect domestic industries. But the president’s chaotic and outright unconstitutional approach—the on-again-off-again threats, the ever-changing numbers, the blatant lies about who actually shoulders the economic burden—has instead destabilized an already fragile economy and isolated us from the rest of the world. I strongly oppose any efforts by the Trump Administration to reinstate these tariffs by other means, and will fight alongside my colleagues in the House to reassert Congressional authority on trade—even if Republican leadership fails to do so. ### | 1 | 2026-04-04T05:28:40Z | 2026-04-04T05:30:10Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6714 | ‘This is about one thing: making our country whiter’: Pingree Condemns DHS Proposal that Would Pause Work Permits for All Asylum Seekers | 2026-02-20 | 2026 | 2026-02 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today announced a new proposed rule that would pause work permit issuance for people with pending asylum applications. This change represents a sweeping erosion to employment authorization for asylum seekers. Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) condemned the proposal, releasing the following statement: The new rule announced by DHS is one of the cruelest changes to our immigration policies that I’ve seen during my time in Congress. It will have devastating consequences for thousands of Mainers and millions of people across the country. This isn’t about ‘restoring integrity’ to our asylum system. It’s about punishing asylum seekers, making it impossible to build lives and families here, and creating the conditions to detain and deport as many people as possible. The overwhelming majority of asylum seekers living in the U.S. have fled truly horrific conditions in their home countries, including targeted violence, persecution, and political oppression. To suggest that they are frauds, or somehow gaming the system, is both grossly inaccurate and deeply insulting. These are human beings. They’re our neighbors and coworkers. They show up to work, send their kids to school, volunteer in their communities, and contribute to our economy every single day. Treating people as disposable political targets denies their humanity—and diminishes us all. If DHS was serious about reducing backlogs, it would use a fraction of the hundreds of billions of dollars currently at its disposal to invest in more asylum officers. Instead, they’re using a bureaucratic logjam as an excuse to target millions of people for eventual deportation—all to meet some made-up quota from Stephen Miller. This rule change will make our immigration system less humane, more dysfunctional, and further undermine America’s longstanding commitment to humanitarian protection. It won’t make us safer, it won’t make us stronger, and it sure as hell won’t do anything to reverse the profound economic damage that t… | 1 | 2026-04-04T05:28:40Z | 2026-04-04T05:30:10Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6716 | Representatives Massie and Pingree Introduce Bipartisan “No Immunity for Glyphosate Act” | 2026-02-20 | 2026 | 2026-02 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) announces the introduction of the bipartisan No Immunity for Glyphosate Act (HR 7601). The legislation will undo the February 18 Executive Order that promotes the use of glyphosate and insulates manufacturers of the chemical from liability. Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) is the co-lead on the legislation. "If the goal is to 'Make America Healthy Again,' the federal government should not be using its authority to promote or protect the production of glyphosate," said Rep. Thomas Massie. "The February 18 Executive Order expands production of this chemical while granting liability protections to manufacturers. Congress should ensure that Americans retain their right to seek a remedy in court if they believe they have been injured by this product." "If there was ever any doubt about whose side this Administration is on, this Executive Order makes it crystal clear: Big Chemical comes first, and the health of Americans comes last,” Rep. Chellie Pingree said. “Calling glyphosate production a matter of ‘national security’ is absurd. Invoking wartime authorities to ramp up production while opening the door to liability shields for chemical companies is dangerous and indefensible. This Executive Order has nothing to do with protecting farmers or feeding the country—it’s about protecting corporate profits and insulating polluters from accountability. The No Immunity for Glyphosate Act draws a firm line: chemical companies do not get immunity or government-backed profit boosts because Washington cut them a deal, and Americans do not lose their right to seek justice when they’ve been harmed. I’m proud to work with Rep. Massie and colleagues on both sides of the aisle to uphold that basic principle, because protecting people from toxic exposure should never be a partisan issue." The February 18 Executive Order invokes wartime authorities to expand and prioritize domestic glyphosate production and confers liability protections for companies participating in federally mandated manufacturing. B… | 1 | 2026-04-04T05:28:40Z | 2026-04-04T05:30:10Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6707 | King, Pingree Seek Confirmation from DHS Secretary Noem on Reported ICE Drawdown in Maine | 2026-02-12 | 2026 | 2026-02 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) and U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME) are demanding answers to their unanswered questions regarding the recent surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) activity in Maine. In a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Acting Director of ICE Todd Lyons, the members of the Maine Delegation called for a detailed explanation and update about ICE’s presence in Maine, including what their mission is and who they are targeting. The letter comes on the heels of ICE’s enforcement actions in Maine, inappropriately called “Operation Catch of the Day,” which began nearly three weeks ago. Since its start, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has provided no formal information on the people arrested and their legal status beyond a list of 19 people on its website. Meanwhile, DHS claims that several hundred people have been detained. “We write to request your prompt response to our outstanding questions regarding Immigration and Customs Enforement’s (ICE) recent surge in activity in Maine. It has been 22 days since the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that ICE would launch “Operation Catch of the Day” (OCOTD) in Maine. The January 20, 2026, announcement from DHS stated that this operation was “an immigration enforcement effort across the state of Maine targeting the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens who have terrorized communities.” ICE officials told the media in Maine that the target for the operation was 1,400 individuals and that roughly 200 individuals have reportedly been apprehended thus far. The DHS website “Worst of the Worst” lists only 19 individuals apprehended in Maine,” the lawmakers began. The lawmakers continued, “On January 29, 2026, we learned from Senator Collins that Secretary Noem would be halting the operation; however, we have not seen any written correspondence corroborating this announcement. While state and municipal leaders along with stakeholders in Maine have reported a reduction in ICE’s presence rela… | 1 | 2026-04-04T05:28:40Z | 2026-04-04T05:30:10Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6706 | Pingree Unveils Bill to Protect Peaceful Observers and Bystanders from ICE Surveillance, Intimidation | 2026-02-06 | 2026 | 2026-02 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today unveiled new legislation to combat the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) aggressive and invasive surveillance and intimidation of peaceful observers. The Stop ICE Intimidation Act blocks funding for expanded U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) surveillance tools and staffing until the agency fully discloses how it uses databases and facial recognition, who it targets, how long it keeps data, and whether it complies with constitutional protections and local laws. It also freezes ICE’s Clearview AI contract until Congress receives clear assurances that bystanders, observers, and protestors are not swept into the enforcement dragnet. "Donald Trump and Kristi Noem’s dangerous Department of Homeland Security has quietly built a vast surveillance apparatus that threatens the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens everywhere. From iris-scanning technology that can identify people in seconds to facial recognition databases with millions of records, these tools are being deployed not to enhance public safety, but to intimidate and silence lawful dissent. When a federal agent can photograph someone's license plate, add them to a database, and label them a 'domestic terrorist' simply for filming ICE officers, we've crossed a dangerous line,” Pingree said. “Mainers have seen firsthand how these surveillance tools are weaponized—people followed home, called on their personal phones, threatened for simply documenting what's happening in their own communities. In a truly free society, citizens don’t live in fear of their government. My bill demands transparency and accountability and ensures that not one more taxpayer dollar is spent on this surveillance state.” The Stop ICE Intimidation Act: Establishes that ICE surveillance and intimidation of observers—including the use of databases and facial recognition—raises serious constitutional concerns under the First and Fourth Amendments. Prohibits the obligation or expenditure of funds for certain surveillance purp… | 1 | 2026-04-04T05:28:40Z | 2026-04-04T05:30:10Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6704 | The Kennedy Center Belongs to the American People. Trump Thinks It Belongs to Him. | 2026-02-04 | 2026 | 2026-02 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Op-Ed published on MSNOW President Donald Trump’s decision to close the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for “an approximately two year period of time” — which he announced via Truth Social on Sunday — underscores the profound damage he’s doing to this iconic institution. Setting aside the sheer financial incompetence that led to this crisis, Trump’s callous disregard for the history, mission and legacy of the Kennedy Center should alarm every American. And that includes members of the president’s party. I hope my colleagues across the aisle recognize that we must recoup the power the president has usurped from Congress. A good start would be working with Democrats to restore a cultural institution that was created for the benefit of all Americans, and named in honor of one president (not the current one). The National Cultural Center was established by Congress in 1958, renamed in honor of John F. Kennedy shortly after his death, and opened to the public in 1971. For more than 50 years, it has celebrated artistic excellence, fostered creativity and reflected Kennedy’s steadfast belief that equitable access to the arts is essential to democracy. Since taking office, President Trump has repeatedly demonstrated utter contempt for that mission and vision, treating the Kennedy Center not as a national trust, but as another institution to be bent to his personal vanity. One year ago, Trump announced he was firing several members of the Board of Trustees and installing himself as chair. In the weeks and months that followed, the center’s programming was marred by sudden cancellations, behind-the-scenes political interference and growing concerns from artists about ideological litmus tests. By June, the effects of Trump’s hostile takeover were already being felt. According to reporting by The Washington Post, the center faced a 82% decline in theater subscriptions, a 57% drop for ballet packages and a $1.6 million decline in overall ticket sales. Rather than see these numbers as a clear sign to reve… | 1 | 2026-04-04T05:28:40Z | 2026-04-04T05:30:10Z |
| https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6703 | Ranking Member Pingree: Trump Is Shuttering the Kennedy Center to Cover Up His Own Failure | 2026-02-02 | 2026 | 2026-02 | Democrat | House | ME | Chellie Pingree | P000597 | pingree.house.gov | pingree | https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees the Kennedy Center, released the following statement after Trump announced a multi-year closure of the Kennedy Center: President Trump’s decision to close the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts underscores the profound damage he’s done to this iconic institution. Setting aside the sheer financial incompetence, his callous disregard for the history, mission, and legacy of the Kennedy Center is appalling. From firing the board of Trustees and installing himself as chair, to using political litmus tests to determine programming, to the outrageous and illegal attempt to rename it the “Trump-Kennedy Center,” the president is making every effort to turn this American treasure into yet another vehicle for his own political vanity. Trump has failed the Center’s workers, performers, and supporters from the very beginning of his takeover last year. Subscriptions have plummeted. Ticket sales are cratering. Artists are cancelling shows and refusing invitations. Rather than see these trends as a clear sign to reverse course, Trump now wants to close the Center for two years while he makes “major renovations”—presumably without any input or oversight from Congress. Let’s not forget: the Kennedy Center was recently given $256 million in the Big Ugly Bill, which is nearly six times its typical allocation, plus another $37 million in the annual appropriations bill. Despite repeated calls for transparency and clarity about their plans with that exorbitant amount of money, Trump and his sycophants now in charge of the Center have given Congress next to nothing. Considering it took less than 24 hours for him to plaster his name on the building, and that he demolished the East Wing of the White House in a matter of days without proper approval, it’s entirely possible that Trump could decide to just bulldoze the entire Center to remake it in his own tacky image. Just look at what he’s done to the Rose Garden a… | 1 | 2026-04-04T05:28:40Z | 2026-04-04T05:30:10Z |
Advanced export
JSON shape: default, array, newline-delimited, object
CREATE TABLE [releases] (
[url] TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
[title] TEXT,
[date] TEXT,
[year] TEXT,
[month] TEXT,
[party] TEXT,
[chamber] TEXT,
[state] TEXT,
[member_name] TEXT,
[bioguide_id] TEXT,
[domain] TEXT,
[scraper] TEXT,
[source] TEXT,
[date_source] TEXT,
[text] TEXT,
[has_text] INTEGER,
[collected_at] TEXT,
[updated_at] TEXT
);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_date]
ON [releases] ([date]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_year]
ON [releases] ([year]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_party]
ON [releases] ([party]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_chamber]
ON [releases] ([chamber]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_state]
ON [releases] ([state]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_bioguide_id]
ON [releases] ([bioguide_id]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_has_text]
ON [releases] ([has_text]);