Blog Posts

The following is a column distributed to Maine newspapers in July 2017. One of the most important committees in Congress is also the least understood: Appropriations. And it’s not surprising. From “302(b) allocations” to “manager’s amendments,” the workings of this committee are nearly indecipherable to anyone outside Washington. But it’s also true that the House Appropriations Committee—which I h... Read more »

The following is a press release from the IRS. Starting this month, the Internal Revenue Service will begin sending letters to a relatively small group of taxpayers whose overdue federal tax accounts are being assigned to one of four private-sector collection agencies. The new program, authorized under a federal law enacted by Congress in December 2015, enables these designated contractors to coll... Read more »

When I put out a call for people to share their stories of how the Affordable Care Act has helped people in Maine, I received over a thousand responses in just a few days. Here's just a small sample of those powerful stories. --Chellie "Under Obamacare, we now pay one-third of our old premium and have a $2,500 deductible. I had my first physical in over 20 years." - Patrick, small business owner f... Read more »

A run down of my thoughts on President-elect Trump's choices for the cabinet and other high-ranking posts. --Chellie Steve Bannon, Chief Strategist “We’ve been asked to give President-elect Trump the ‘benefit of the doubt,’ but I think this dispels any hope that he would finally distance himself from people who promote hateful, racist scapegoating. “Steve Bannon has a history of peddling conspirac... Read more »

This summer has been a busy time of meeting with my constituents and hearing their feedback on important issues. Celebrating 100 years of Acadia National Park It's been 100 years now since President Woodrow Wilson signed an order to create the Sieur de Monts National Monument (what would later become Acadia National Park). It was a privilege to help celebrate the occasion at the park with the res... Read more »

I had the pleasure of attending a number of events this spring and summer to meet veterans and hear directly about the concerns--a few snapshots are below. --Chellie Moving Wall in Thomaston Maine VFW Convention American Legion state meeting Awarding medals to Afghanistan veteran Read more »

Deadline July 29. USDA provides grants to local cooperatives and other organizations that provide technical assistance to socially disadvantaged groups in rural areas. Examples of technical assistance include providing leadership training, conducting feasibility studies and developing business and strategic plans. Read more »

Deadline October 6. Funding supports small businesses in the creation of advanced research and development projects that will lead to innovative solutions for American agriculture. Read more »

Each time there’s a mass shooting, citizens across the country have a conversation on how to keep the next one from happening and how to keep guns out of the hands of people who want to commit violence. The nation holds this conversation at the dinner table, on the Internet, and in many other places. But it doesn’t happen in one place where it absolutely should—the halls of Congress. Mass shootin... Read more »

Public Humanities, Humanities Initiatives at Community Colleges, Summer Stipends, Humanities Connections, and Dialogues on the Experiences of War. Read more »