Jobs and Economic Development

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) released the following statement in response to USDA’s plan to offer $12 billion in relief to farmers harmed in the wake of the Administration’s trade actions. “While I appreciate the USDA for finally offering some relief to farmers who have been harmed by retaliatory tariffs, this effort is an acknowledgment of the costs of the Trump Administration’s lack of s... Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) announced today that two farms in her District will receive USDA Rural Development Value-Added Producer Grants to expand their businesses and launch new product lines. Pingree has been steadfast in her opposition to proposed cuts to this vital program, which has a track record of helping rural businesses succeed and hire more workers. “Farmers are always thinki... Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01) and Congressman Bruce Poliquin (ME-02) successfully worked to kill an amendment to the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2018 that would have stripped $250 million from Bath Iron Work’s (BIW) DDG-51 destroyer program The Courtney Amendment failed 144-267 after the Maine lawmakers worked together petitioning their colleagues in the U.S. House of Repre... Read more »

In light of the negative repercussions that Maine’s lobster industry and other businesses are facing from the Trump Administration’s latest trade actions, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) sent a letter today to U.S. Trade Representative C.J. Mahoney urging the Administration to pursue a more coherent trade strategy to save the state’s economy from further uncertainty and harm. “While there ar... Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree today announced a $2,570,600 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to the University of Maine to form a regional transportation research center. The center will focus on saving taxpayer dollars by researching ways to extend the life of New England’s transportation infrastructure. “Harsh New England winters take a toll on our roads and bridges year after yea... Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) welcomed over $65,000 in USDA Rural Development funds to help farms and other rural businesses in Bowdoinham, Cumberland and Freeport cuts costs through renewable power systems. During recent debate on the House’s failed Farm Bill, Pingree had advocated for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) that provides the grants—the legislation would have eliminate... Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree released the following statement after voting in support of the National Defense Authorization Act, which the House passed earlier today. “The National Defense Authorization Act for FY19 is critical for Maine’s economy in a number of ways. I am proud to support funding for the DDG-1000 and DDG-51 ships, ensuring economic security for the world-class shipbuilders at Ba... Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced five National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant awards totaling more than $900,000 for organizations in Maine’s first district congressional district. “I am pleased to announce that the NEA has once again made a significant investment in Maine’s creative economy,” said Pingree, co-chair of the bipartisan congressional Arts Caucus. “From the... Read more »

$2 million in EPA Brownfields Grants will assess and clean up polluted sites in Southern and Midcoast Maine communities. Read more »

Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) announced that The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), a nonprofit corporation established by the 2014 Farm Bill, has awarded Hugh Cowperthwaite of Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI) a $300,000 matching research grant. CEI has received the funding in order to investigate the economic viability of a Japanese scallop production technique t... Read more »