Press Releases

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 Bath Iron Works. This bill also ensures upgrades to strengthen the operations and competitiveness of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, which directly contributed $750 million to Maine and New Hampshire’s economies in 2017. 

“This bill supports our military families with a much-deserved military pay raise of 2.6 percent and a prescription drug-monitoring program to help address opioid addiction within the military. 
 
“This bill isn’t perfect—few are. It contains funding for a low-yield nuclear warhead that I oppose and voted to strip from the bill in an amendment. I was deeply disappointed by this bill’s cuts to programs such as the Office of Economic Adjustment. It has provided important funding for the economic redevelopment efforts at Brunswick Landing, the site of the former Brunswick Naval Air Station.  As the bill makes its way toward final passage, I will work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to try to restore funding.”