Jobs and Economic Development

$2 million will be used to help clean up polluted sites for redevelopment Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announced today that southern Maine communities would receive $2 million in Brownfield grants from the Environmental Protection Agency. “These funds are critical to helping clean up polluted sites so they can be redeveloped for new uses. The projects chosen for funding… Read more »

Contracts will provide maintenance support for fleet, design work on new class of ship Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said that Bath Iron Works was awarded two Navy contracts today for work totaling just over $57 million. One contract, for $28.7 million, is for fleet maintenance work on Navy ships. The other, also for $28.7 million, is for design and engineering work on the Littoral… Read more »

Funds will support art and performance projects in Greater Portland and throughout the state Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announced today that the Maine Arts Commission would receive a $720,000 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant, and that several Portland-area arts groups would also receive a total of $107,500 in NEA grants. “Maine has established itself as a… Read more »

President to issue executive order prohibiting retaliation against employees of federal contractors who discuss salary; Pingree and her colleagues asked Obama to make that change On Equal Pay Day, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree welcomed an executive order by President Obama today banning retaliation against employees of federal contractors who discuss their salaries. Pingree and… Read more »

Nearly 7,000 Maine workers have lost benefits because Congress has failed to extend program Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said a bill passed by the U.S. Senate today would retroactively restore unemployment checks for 6,880 Maine workers who have had their benefits cut off since December 28. "There are thousands of people across Maine who are still struggling to find work who have… Read more »

Joins other female Members of Congress to discuss minimum wage, paid family leave and sick leave Congresswoman Chellie Pingree was one of a dozen female members of the House and Senate to meet with President Obama in the White House today to discuss a 2014 economic agenda for women. "The economic success of women translates directly into the economic success of working families,"… Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree issued the following statement on President Obama's fiscal year 2015 budget, released today: The President has proposed a budget that has the right priorities—tax breaks for working families trying to get ahead to help them pay for college, daycare and save for retirement. And at the same time it closes unfair tax breaks for the wealthy and tax… Read more »

Money to help fishermen affected by decline of groundfish Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said today that $32.8 million infederal disaster relief funding has been allocated to help fishermen in NewEngland impacted by the decline of groundfish in the region. "Maine fishermen have been hit hard by groundfish closures and drastically reduced quotas," Pingree said. "If this money is… Read more »

Thousands of Mainers have lost coverage since emergency benefits expired December 28 Congresswoman Chellie Pingree today criticized Senate Republicans for blocking an extension of the emergency unemployment insurance program, which expired December 28 and has now cut off unemployment benefits to 1.7 million Americans, including about 4,700 people in Maine. "The situation just… Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree issued the following statement in reaction to President Obama's State of the Union speech tonight. The President laid out concrete proposals that will benefit average, hard working families, like raising the minimum wage. Increasing the minimum wage will mean more money in the pockets of families across Maine, money that will then be spent at local… Read more »