Veterans Issues

U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin today applauded the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) announcement that it will fund three new positions in Maine to better serve the needs of justice-involved Maine veterans confronting homelessness, mental health, or substance abuse issues. The funding will support a Veterans… Read more »

The Veterans Fair Debt Notice Act provides veterans with more timely and understandable notifications about possible debts with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Read more »

The House Committee on Veterans Affairs today passed an amended version of Congresswoman Chellie Pingree’s legislation—H.R. 3705, the Veterans Fair Debt Notice Act—to help veterans who have a debt with the Department of Veteran Affairs. The bill could come to the House floor as soon as next week. “Too many veterans don’t learn about their possible debts with… Read more »

PORTLAND, ME –Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement on the recent report detailing malpractice at VA facilities: “I was deeply concerned to hear from leadership at Togus that our state’s veterans had received substandard care and a formal investigation was underway. This is an inexcusable situation—one that has again… Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) testified today at a hearing of the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs in support of H.R. 3705, the Veterans Fair Debt Notice Act. The legislation she’s introduced assists veterans who find themselves with debts to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).    “We’ve seen… Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today praised the signing of the Forever GI Bill, which expands educational assistance benefits to veterans who had been denied because of technicalities. The legislation is similar to a bill she has introduced, the Chris Kotch Act, named for a disabled Maine veteran who was denied his full GI benefits because of a… Read more »

PORTLAND,ME—Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement today on President Trump signing veterans’ legislation over the weekend that approved leases for expanded VA clinics across the country, including one in Portland.   “The much-needed expansion of the Portland VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic is something Maine’s… Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01) and Congressman Bruce Poliquin (ME-02), a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, have inserted a provision to a bill to extend funding for the rural Veterans CHOICE program for six months that passed the House today, to authorize the lease for the new Portland VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), as well as several other VA… Read more »

In recognition of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) took to the House floor yesterday to recognize the work of K9s on the Front Line, an innovative organization based in Maine that helps veterans with PTSD train their own service dogs. Because June is PTSD Awareness Month, I rise today to recognize an organization in my… Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree joined colleagues in sending a letter yesterday to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary David Shulkin voicing opposition to a proposal in President Trump’s budget that eliminates Individual Unemployability benefits for severely disabled, retirement-age veterans. Some veterans could see a 64 percent cut in benefits. “By no means were… Read more »