Press Releases

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today heralded the Biden Administration’s decision to send Ukraine a Patriot Missile System to defend its people and sovereignty against illegal Russian attacks. This air defense system is part of a newly announced $2 billion military aid package. Maine’s First District Congresswoman sits on the powerful House Appropriations Committee tasked with writing the end-of-year omnibus spending bill, which is poised to pass this week with an additional $45 billion included for humanitarian and defense aid to Ukraine.

“Today marks 300 days of brutal illegal aggression by Putin’s government against the people of Ukraine. But today also marks the beginning of the truly breathtaking defense mounted by Ukraine. When I visited the war-torn region in March, I witnessed the harrowing bravery of Ukrainians who have lost everything but have refused to let a murderous dictator destroy their country. In providing the government in Kyiv with the tools needed to defend democracy, the United States continues to send a clear message that we will stand by our ally for as long as it takes. I applaud the Biden Administration for sending Ukraine the most advanced air defense weapon we have and hope the House moves swiftly to approve additional aid this week,” said Congresswoman Pingree.

In March, Pingree voted to pass the Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act as part of the FY2022 omnibus appropriations legislation. This legislation provided an additional $13.6 billion in security, economic, and humanitarian assistance to help Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees. Pingree again voted in May to pass the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, which provided an additional $40 billion to support Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees.  Pingree also joined a bipartisan group of U.S. Representatives on a weeklong trip to bordering allied nations to get a firsthand look at humanitarian efforts and to learn what more can be done by the US to support the millions of refugees created by Putin’s barbaric war.

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