Pingree, Chellie RSS Articles

Pingree, Huffman Demand Answers from Forest Service on Glyphosate Spraying in National Forests

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, and Congressman Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) are demanding answers from the U.S. Forest Service about its current and planned use of glyphosate-based herbicides on federal forestlands.

Their letter to Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz follows a yearlong Mother Jones investigation that raised serious questions about the use of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, on public and private forestlands, particularly in areas recovering from wildfire in California. The reporting detailed plans for large-scale spraying in national forests, including areas near trails, campgrounds, waterways, and communities, while also highlighting concerns about the scientific basis and oversight behind the agency’s continued use of the chemical.

“Given the recent scientific disputes, retracted studies, and litigation surrounding glyphosate due to serious ecological and health harms, we are deeply concerned by the alleged use of the herbicide and lack of information available regarding current and planned use,” Pingree and Huffman wrote.

In the letter, Pingree and Huffman request information on how frequently glyphosate is used on Forest Service land, what criteria determine when and where spraying occurs, which forests are treated, and how current acreage compares to five and ten years ago.

The lawmakers also ask whether the Forest Service has assessed glyphosate residues in soil, water, or wildlife in and around treated areas; evaluated potential human health harms; established a publicly accessible database of herbicide use; and coordinated with state, tribal, local, and water officials before application.

The letter further presses the agency on worker safety and exposure risks, including protections for Forest Service employees, firefighters, trail crews, contractors, and others who may enter treated areas. Pingree and Huffman also ask whether there have been reported worker illnesses, accidental exposures, or contamination complaints tied to glyphosate applications.

Finally, the lawmakers request details on whether the Forest Service has explored or piloted nonchemical or lower-toxicity alternatives to herbicide applications, what those findings showed, and what barriers may be limiting broader adoption.

The full letter is available here and is copied below.

The Mother Jones investigation found that the Forest Service is moving forward with major glyphosate spraying projects in California, including in post-fire recovery areas. It also highlighted that the Forest Service continues to rely on a 2011 risk assessment that cited a now-retracted study on glyphosate safety, which the journal withdrew after determining the named authors were not solely responsible for the paper and that it relied entirely on Monsanto data.

During a House Agriculture Committee hearing on Thursday, Pingree raised this issue with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

The inquiry comes as the Trump Administration has moved to bolster domestic glyphosate production and as Bayer, which acquired Monsanto in 2018, continues to seek legal protections from lawsuits brought by people alleging glyphosate exposure caused serious illness. Pingree and Congressman Thomas Massie have introduced the No Immunity for Glyphosate Act, legislation to block federal funds from being used to implement President Trump’s executive order supporting glyphosate production and to affirm that glyphosate manufacturers are not immune from civil liability.

In April, Pingree successfully helped remove dangerous, industry-written language from the Farm Bill that would have pre-empted state rights to regulate pesticide usage or labeling and provide a liability shield for pesticide manufacturers.

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Dear Chief Schultz,

We are writing to request information regarding the U.S. Forest Service’s current and planned use of glyphosate-based herbicides on federal forestlands. Recent reporting has raised questions about the scale, frequency, and oversight of glyphosate application on Forest Service land, as well as the scientific basis for its continued use on forest land. Given the recent scientific disputes, retracted studies, and litigation surrounding glyphosate due to serious ecological and health harms, we are deeply concerned by the alleged use of the herbicide and lack of information available regarding current and planned use.

Please provide the following information:

1. Current Usage:

How frequently are glyphosate applications conducted on Forest Service land, and what criteria determine when and where spraying occurs?
- Is glyphosate used after seedlings are manually seeded or replanted or as a substitute for manual reforestation?
- In post-fire applications, is glyphosate usage limited to areas where natural regeneration is likely, such as in low or moderate burn severity regions?
- In post-fire applications of glyphosate, has the Forest Service analyzed the erosion impacts of glyphosate use and the corresponding reduction in soil stability?
In which forests is glyphosate used, and for what purpose?
What is the current acreage treated annually with glyphosate on Forest Service lands, and how does that compare to five and ten years ago?

2. Monitoring, Reporting, and Public Transparency

Has the Forest Service conducted or commissioned assessments of glyphosate residues in soil, water, or wildlife in and surrounding treated areas?
Has the Forest Service evaluated potential human health harms associated with the use of glyphosate?
Does the Forest Service maintain a publicly accessible database of herbicide use, including quantities, locations, and application methods? If not, will the Forest Service establish such a database?
What coordination occurs with state health and environmental departments, tribal governments, local governments, and water districts before glyphosate application?

3. Public Health and Environmental Risk Evaluation and Worker Safety

What steps does the agency take to protect workers, campgrounds or other public facilities, nearby communities, and sensitive ecosystems during and after herbicide application?
What protections are in place for Forest Service employees, firefighters, trail crews, and others who may need to enter treated areas?
Have there been any reported worker illness incidents, accidental exposures, or contamination complaints associated with glyphosate applications?

4. Consideration of Alternatives

Has the Forest Service explored or piloted non-chemical or lower-toxicity alternatives to herbicide applications? If so, what were the findings, and what barriers—financial, operational, or regulatory—limit broader adoption of these alternatives?

Given the public’s deep interest in the stewardship of our federally forested land, clear information on these questions would help build trust and ensure that management decisions reflect the best available science.

Thank you for your attention to this inquiry. We look forward to better understanding how the Forest Service is evaluating glyphosate use and considering safer or more sustainable approaches to forest management.

Sincerely,

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WATCH: Ranking Member Pingree Slams Republican Cuts to EPA, Arts, Parks, and More While Trump Prioritizes Gilded Vanity Projects in DC

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, spoke out against Republicans’ funding bill for the 2027 fiscal year during the Appropriations Committee's markup today. In her opening remarks, Pingree condemned proposed cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Park Service (NPS), and the National Endowments for the Arts (NEA) and Humanities (NEH). At the same time, the Trump Administration is spending millions of taxpayer dollars on the President’s vanity projects in D.C., Pingree said—including a 250-foot Arch, a $1 billion ballroom, resurfacing the reflecting pool, the so-called “Garden of Heroes”, and more.

“How is the President paying for all of these vanity projects? While he might claim private fundraising, the real answer has seemed to be raiding national park entrance fees that typically go toward maintenance and stealing funding from the National Endowments for the Arts and the Humanities,” Pingree said.

Pingree also cited how Trump has destroyed the Kennedy Center over the past 18 months, and said the Committee must take steps to protect the institution.

“I’m very pleased with the court’s confirmation last Friday that it’s plainly illegal for him to rename the Center after himself and remake it in his own image,” she said. “But we need real and committed oversight from this Committee to protect this critical institution and the artists, workers, and audiences that make it special."

A summary of the bill is available here.

Pingree’s full remarks as prepared for delivery are copied below.

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Thank you for yielding.

I would like to thank Chairman Cole, Ranking Member DeLauro, and the staff on both sides of the aisle.

Chairman Simpson, I appreciate our working relationship and that we were able to find common ground last year to enact a bipartisan full-year funding bill.

Unfortunately, the bill before us reverts back to the same partisan playbook, with grossly insufficient funding and a surplus of poison pill riders.

The bill cuts EPA by 20 percent. This agency has already lost one-fifth of its workforce since President Trump took office. The cuts in this bill would completely cripple EPA’s ability to fight climate change, respond to environmental disasters, and hold polluters accountable. Meanwhile, the administration continues to roll back regulations that protect public health and the environment, including a recent announcement that will increase exposure to toxic “forever chemicals” in drinking water.

I’m disappointed that the bill further cuts funding to states for water infrastructure. This is the first year that states won’t have the additional funding provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and I believe that it is critical that we don’t lose the momentum we built with those investments.

I’m also very concerned by the cuts to the National Park Service facilities operation and maintenance. This is the funding the Park Service uses to maintain and repair its infrastructure. The bill cuts it by $163 million, or 17 percent.

Meanwhile, in the Commerce, Justice, Science funding bill, Republicans have provided up to $152 million to renovate Alcatraz into a functioning prison.

I find this completely outrageous. I won’t get into the many reasons why I think trying to reopen Alcatraz is a farce and a waste of money. But I have to say, when I look at that funding and then look at the bill before us today, it’s painfully obvious that the majority is prioritizing resurrecting a 19th century prison over today’s underfunded and understaffed parks.

At the same time, the President is diverting significant resources toward pet projects that most Americans oppose: his ridiculous $1 billion gilded ballroom (from which he dumped the toxic demolition debris on a National Park-owned golf course), approving a no-bid contract to resurface the reflecting pool, forging ahead on his so-called “Garden of Heroes” – all of which he handpicked – and his 20-story tall Triumphal Arch that veterans’ groups have literally sued to block … the list goes on and on.

How is the President paying for all of these vanity projects? While he might claim private fundraising, the real answer has seemed to be raiding national park entrance fees that typically go toward maintenance and stealing funding from the National Endowments for the Arts and the Humanities.

And speaking of vanity projects, I would be remiss not to mention the absolute mess that the President has made of the Kennedy Center over the past 18 months. I’m very pleased with the court’s confirmation last Friday that it’s plainly illegal for him to rename the Center after himself and remake it in his own image. But we need real and committed oversight from this Committee to protect this critical institution and the artists, workers, and audiences that make it special.

So: the President and this administration have spent an inordinate amount of time trying to dictate exactly what it deems artistically and culturally worthy – and at the same time, it’s trying to rob our communities of funding for our own local museums, historical societies, and arts education programs by cutting the NEA and NEH. I am vehemently opposed to this bill slashing each endowment by 35%, $72 million.

The bill also cuts funding for cultural institutions, such as the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian Institution. Last year, we came to an agreement and beat back these cuts. We must do so again this year.

While the administration is focused on building a gilded ballroom and a triumphal Arch to appease the president’s ego, Americans are facing soaring gas and energy prices. Yet this bill does nothing to reign in the administration’s assault on energy projects that states have been counting on.

As the administration spends nearly 2 billion in taxpayer dollars to pay off companies for abandoning offshore wind projects, this bill piles on – adding additional fees for offshore wind companies and drastically cutting funding for renewable energy programs.

Finally, I have to express my opposition to the dozens of poison pill riders included in the bill. These riders aim to cripple environmental protection, undermine climate change policies, and override the Endangered Species Act.

As written, I cannot support the bill before us today.

I oppose the bill, I urge my colleagues to oppose it, and I yield back.

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Ranking Member Pingree Statement on Court Ordering Removal of Trump’s Name from Kennedy Center

Fri, 29 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees the Kennedy Center, released the following statement after a federal judge ordered the removal of President Trump’s name from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and blocked the administration’s plan to close the venue for two years beginning in July:

Donald Trump tried to slap his name on the Kennedy Center like it was one of his tacky hotels, and today a federal judge made clear what we have been saying from the start: he had no legal authority to do it.

I am also relieved the court blocked Trump’s plan to shutter the Center. Closing the Kennedy Center was never about renovation. It was about covering up the catastrophic damage Trump has already inflicted: ticket sales in free fall, the Washington National Opera ending its 55-year residency, beloved performances canceled, and union workers fired in clear violation of their contracts. The court saw through the pretense.

I want to commend Congresswoman Beatty for her courage and persistence in filing this suit, along with the preservation and architectural organizations that fought alongside her. This victory belongs to every American who refused to accept a president using a national memorial as a vehicle for his own ego.

The Kennedy Center’s deferred maintenance needs are real, and they should be addressed. But that work must happen through a transparent, collaborative process, with full congressional oversight and proper historic preservation review. I stand ready to be a genuine partner in restoring the Kennedy Center’s integrity and greatness for generations to come. That is what the American people deserve, and that is the work that lies ahead.

Trump has two weeks to comply with this court order. The Kennedy Center belongs to the American people. Now and always.

Pingree, who co-chairs the bipartisan Congressional Arts Caucus, has been a leading voice in Congress to protect the Kennedy Center since Trump installed himself as board chair in 2025. As Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, Pingree successfully stripped language from the 2026 Appropriations bill that would have renamed the Kennedy Center Opera House after Melania Trump.

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Three Maine Students Accepted to U.S. Service Academies, Pingree Announces

Wed, 27 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) announced that three students she nominated have been accepted to U.S. Service Academies. Wallace “Wynn” Pooler of South China will attend the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y., while Isaiah Morgan of Cumberland Center and Cole Tomuschat of Scarborough will both attend the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

“Earning acceptance to a U.S. Service Academy is an extraordinary achievement and a testament to a student’s scholarship, leadership, character, and commitment to service,” said Pingree. “Wallace, Isaiah, and Cole have each demonstrated a deep sense of duty and a clear desire to serve their country. I’m incredibly proud to have nominated them and thrilled to see them accepted to the Merchant Marine Academy and Naval Academy. I know they will represent Maine well, and I wish them every success as they begin this next chapter.”

“I have long been interested in serving my country in some way and was raised in a service-oriented family, with family members having served for many generations. Both my great-grandfathers served during World War II. My grandfather served in the Navy during the Vietnam War, and my father served as a U.S. Merchant Marine Officer after graduating from Maine Maritime Academy,” Wallace wrote in his nomination request. “I now wish to continue this legacy by attending the Merchant Marine Academy.”

“Growing up with a father who has served for over 30 years, and an aunt and uncle who both attended West Point, I have learned how this community is unique. Part of my patriotic duty is to give back to my country, following in their footsteps,” Isaiah wrote in his nomination request. “I want to be part of a service academy because it offers a unique combination of leadership development, academic rigor, and a path to a lifelong commitment to serving my country.”

“Some of my earliest memories are listening to my dad and grandpa tell stories of their service. My dad is a 20-year merchant marine, and Grandpa is a retired Master Gunnery Sergeant in the Marine Corps. They would tell of travels around the world, hardships, and victories. Even as a small boy, I knew I wanted to be like the men in my life; I wanted to serve my country and become a leader,” Cole wrote in his nomination request. “The U.S. Service Academies are the best places in the world to sharpen my intellect, leadership skills, and sense of morality to reach my goals.”

To be considered for an appointment to a service academy, applicants must be nominated by an authorized nominating source, which includes Members of Congress.

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Statement from Congresswoman Chellie Pingree on the Passing of Former Congressman Barney Frank

Wed, 20 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement on the passing of former Congressman Barney Frank:

Barney Frank was one of the most brilliant, fearless, and impactful public servants of our time—and someone I was proud to call a friend. He was one of the people I most looked up to and admired when I first came to Congress. In the years we served together, whenever I was on the House floor and Barney rose to speak, I knew I was about to hear something special. His command of policy and profound understanding of congressional history were unmatched, and his ability to command the room with his words and wisdom was truly something to behold.

Barney believed deeply in democracy, social justice, and the ability of government to improve people’s lives. Whether he was defending civil rights, fighting for consumers, or helping craft the landmark Dodd-Frank bill following the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, Barney combined progressive values with a practical legislative mind unlike any other.

Barney could be a curmudgeon, no doubt. And he certainly didn’t ‘suffer fools lightly.’ But he also had an incredible heart—and a kindness that those who knew him best will never forget. After he retired from the House, and began spending more time in Ogunquit, Maine with his husband Jim, I got a chance to really get to know them both. I will always cherish those memories. Whenever Barney spoke, whatever the story or anecdote, I knew I was about to learn something—and laugh a whole lot.

I will miss him dearly. My heart goes out to Jim, Barney’s family, his many friends and colleagues, and the countless people whose lives he touched.

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The Dilley immigrant detention facility costs taxpayers millions. The human cost is even higher.

Thu, 14 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

On a sunny day in Texas inside one of the nation’s most notorious immigrant detention facilities, I sat down with Olivia Andre, a 19-year-old asylum seeker whose story has garnered national attention.

Despite it being nearly 90 degrees that day in Dilley, a small town about an hour outside of San Antonio, Olivia was bundled up in a down jacket. She was freezing. Her spirits, understandably, were low and she told me she hadn’t been sleeping much. She’d been suffering from headaches and had lost nearly 20 pounds in the six months she spent inside what has become known as the Family Trailer Prison.

For more than an hour, we talked about her family and the life that was unfairly ripped from her when Olivia, her mother and siblings were detained by immigration enforcement in November of 2025. I brought a hefty stack of legal documents with me, as well as family photos and letters from loved ones to give her in hopes they would lift her spirits.

Because the government is court-ordered to release migrant children and their parents from prolonged detention, the rest of Olivia’s family — mother Carine Balenda Mbizi; brother Joel Andre, 16; and sister Estafania Andre, 14 — were released from Dilley in March. But since Olivia is technically an adult, and not the legal guardian of her siblings, she was not released with them.

The last thing I wanted to do when I visited was give her any false hope, but, after hearing near-daily updates from her lawyers, I was optimistic she’d be soon released. And I promised her that we were doing everything we could to get her out.

The very next day, a federal district judge ordered her release. Soon, she’d finally be on a plane bound for where she belongs: back home in Portland with her loved ones.

Around 11:15 p.m. on Friday, May 8, Olivia finally made it home to Maine, where a raucous and overjoyed crowd of family, friends, neighbors and fellow Mainers was ready to welcome her home.

I can’t imagine the overwhelming sense of relief she and her family must be feeling right now. I sincerely hope that, in the months and years ahead, they’ll be able to find the peace and happiness they deserve.

At the same time, it’s impossible not to feel outraged by the cruelty and callousness the Andres have experienced, and the senseless suffering they — and countless others — have been forced to endure. All on the American taxpayer’s dime.

Despite the astronomical cost of $15.3 million a month, or roughly $1,000 per person a day, life inside the Dilley facility is pure misery. (And let me be clear: misery is the point, but more on that later.)

While on our official congressional oversight visit, Reps. Joaquin Castro, Henry Cuellar, Sylvia Garcia, Adelita Grijalva, Christian Menefee, Mark Takano and I saw the conditions firsthand and spoke directly with more than 60 people who were detained there.

The facilities appeared clean and were presented to us in a real “nothing to see here” kind of way. The food seemed fine and the medical bay was nice enough, though completely unoccupied. But outside of the personnel’s overview, which was literally read to us from a script, what we heard from the actual people forced to live there was deeply disturbing.

Here’s what a day in Dilley looks like, according to Olivia and the people we met with: You wake up by 6 a.m. for breakfast after a sleepless night, trying to eat what you can because lunch and dinner are often worse. By mid-morning, you are back in bed, exhausted, depressed or dealing with headaches and untreated health needs. You share a room with 10 to 12 other people so there is no privacy. Time drags on through the afternoon and by the evening, you just want to sleep. But the harsh lights stay on, you’re cold and the room is restless with anxiety and crying from your bunkmates.

It’s no wonder Olivia was feeling utter despair when I met with her there. And, as I alluded, that is the point.

The Department of Homeland Security operates under the mantra “detain to deport.” Regardless of whether a person has a pending asylum claim, has been denied due process, or is legally permitted to be in the United States, the Trump administration wants to detain and deport as many immigrants as they can. Their inhumane and un-American anti-immigration agenda demands it.

Olivia and many others said they’d been pressured to take the $2,500 offer to self-deport.

“You will never see your mother again,” they would tell her. “You may as well take the money and go home.” Of course, by “home” they don’t mean Portland, where she lives. They mean the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where her family fled horrific violence before claiming asylum in the U.S. in 2022.

On their journey, Olivia’s family suffered an unimaginable tragedy: her 8-year-old brother, Manuel, drowned while crossing the Darién Gap, where flash floods can be deadly and the journey itself is a measure of a family’s desperation.

It’s important to note that in Dilley, there are no violent criminals or anyone with a criminal conviction. This specific facility is meant for parents and their children who, at most, have minor immigration infractions equivalent to a parking ticket. Many, though, were simply caught up in our country’s broken immigration system. They have active asylum claims, green cards, visas and valid work permits. Maybe they are waiting for their court date or for their claim to be processed, which can take years, but they are doing everything they are legally supposed to do.

Olivia never should have been detained for this long in the first place. Nor should anyone whose only “crime” was fleeing violence and seeking a better life for themselves and their family — and has followed the rules at every turn.

For every Olivia whose story breaks through, there are countless others still trapped in facilities like Dilley, without national headlines, public pressure or members of Congress advocating on their behalf.

Dilley must be closed for good. This is a facility built to incarcerate families and children, operated at enormous public expense, and used to pressure vulnerable people into giving up their rights. Children do not belong in detention. Families seeking safety do not belong in detention. And no private prison company should profit from keeping them there.

We shouldn’t have to fight this hard to protect people’s constitutional rights — or to get people out of these horrific detention centers. But we will keep fighting.

I want to thank my team, Olivia’s attorneys, my colleagues, local advocates like Project Relief Maine, Ms. Rachel and everyone who had a hand in amplifying her story and helping secure her freedom.

When I met Olivia at the airport after her long flight home, the smile on her face could’ve lit a thousand rooms. I know she and her family have a long road ahead. But I hope she knows just how many people will be with her. Every step of the way.

I hope every innocent person who has been detained by this cruel and callous administration will one day feel the same joy Olivia is feeling right now — and that her story inspires all of us to continue pushing for the freedom and justice they deserve.

Federal Judge Orders Olivia Andre’s Release from Dilley, Pingree Announces

Wed, 06 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Just hours after returning to Maine from San Antonio, Texas, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) shared news that a federal district court judge has ordered Olivia Andre’s release from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing center in Dilley, Texas. According to Olivia’s lawyer, Elora Mukherjee, the judge’s order states she must be released by no later than Friday, May 8.

“I am overwhelmed with joy and relief that Olivia will finally be released and reunited with her family. Yesterday, I sat with Olivia in Dilley and heard how she struggled through every second of her time in detention. Words cannot describe how heartbreaking it was to leave knowing she was still trapped there in utter despair. Olivia should never have been left locked away in Dilley, far from her family, her community, and the life she was building in Portland. But today, after six months of fear, pain, and uncertainty, Olivia is finally coming home,” Pingree said. “Olivia’s release is a testament to the power of public pressure, persistent advocacy, and the simple truth that no one seeking safety should be subjected to this kind of needless cruelty. Now, ICE must release Olivia without delay so she can be reunited with her family and begin to heal where she belongs: at home in Maine.”

"I just spoke with Olivia. She is overwhelmed with emotion to learn that she will be coming home to Maine. Olivia and her family should never have been detained. The federal court ordered her release because the Trump administration had no lawful basis for detaining her. She suffered in detention for six months in violation of federal law and the U.S. Constitution's protections. Her mental and physical health deteriorated during this time because she did not have access to sufficient clean drinking water, palatable food, or appropriate medical care,” Mukherjee said. “All children and families should be released from Dilley immediately. There are cost-effective and humane alternatives to detaining children and families. Protecting children from needless cruelty is not an enormous ask. Our humanity demands it of us."

On Tuesday, Pingree—along with colleagues U.S. Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Christian Menefee (D-Texas), and Mark Takano (D-Calif.)—conducted an official oversight visit of the Dilley detention center. They had the opportunity to meet with more than 60 people detained there and heard firsthand accounts of their treatment and the facility conditions. Pingree met with Olivia during the visit.

Olivia, a 19-year-old student, has been detained in the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas since November. In a letter to ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, Pingree called for immediate release and questioned the legal basis for her continued detention, as no explanation had been given to Andre or her legal counsel.

Olivia and her family are asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and have been living in Portland, where Olivia was a first-year nursing student. The rest of her family—mother Carine Balenda Mbizi; brother Joel Andre, 16; and sister Estafania Andre, 14—were released from the Dilley Processing Center in March.

Pingree previously conducted oversight visits of the ICE field office in Scarborough, Maine and the ICE facility in Burlington, Mass.

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After Oversight Visit, Pingree, House Dems Call for Release of Their Constituents, Closure of Dilley Detention Facility

Tue, 05 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Maine Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) is once again calling for the release of her constituent, Olivia Andre, from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing center in Dilley, Texas following an official Congressional oversight visit on Tuesday. Pingree—along with colleagues U.S. Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Christian Menefee (D-Texas.), and Mark Takano (D-Calif.)—held a press conference where they detailed what they witnessed at the Dilley facility and shared stories of those they met with.

“I came here today for one specific reason and one specific constituent. [But] I want to validate all of the things that my colleagues have been saying, and everything you’re hearing is true: We need to close Dilley, we need to close these facilities, there was nothing about the conditions that were humane—and it’s done with our tax dollars, in our name, and it has to stop,” Pingree said during the press conference.

In April, Pingree called on ICE to immediately release Olivia Andre, a 19-year-old student who has been detained in the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas since November. In a letter to ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, Pingree questioned the legal basis for Olivia’s continued detention, as no explanation has been given to Andre or her legal counsel.

Pingree previously conducted oversight visits of the ICE field office in Scarborough, Maine and the ICE facility in Burlington, Mass.

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‘Outrageous and Needlessly Cruel’: Pingree Statement on Kennedy Center Firing Union Members

Mon, 04 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees the Kennedy Center, released the following statement after the Center reportedly fired staff who are members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) union:

The Kennedy Center’s decision to fire 24 people—in clear violation of their union contracts—is totally outrageous, alarmingly shortsighted, and needlessly cruel to these dedicated employees and their families.

Sadly, these firings are part and parcel of a broader pattern of incompetence and poor decision-making exhibited by the Center’s leadership since Trump installed himself as Chairman more than a year ago. From illegally trying to rename the Center after himself, to driving away countless artists and performers and audience members—resulting in needing to close down the facility for two years—Trump has done profound damage to this iconic institution and weakened the Center’s ability to fulfill its public mission. Using that closure as a pretense to fire dozens of workers is truly reprehensible.

I strongly urge the Center’s leadership to rethink this rash decision, honor their contractual commitments, and do right by these workers and their families.

I stand in solidarity with the 24 people whose livelihoods have just been upended and will do everything in my power to ensure they’re treated with the dignity and fairness they deserve.

Pingree, who is co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Arts Caucus, has led the charge in Congress to save the Kennedy Center from Trump after he took it over last year. Pingree demanded answers and transparency from Richard Grenell, a Trump ally who was installed as President of the Kennedy Center, about how the $256 million requested, and later approved in the “One Big Beautiful Bill”, would be spent.

In December, Pingree led more than 70 Members of Congress in calling on President Trump to reverse the illegal renaming effort and remove his name from the building.

As Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, Pingree successfully removed language from the 2026 Appropriations bill that would have renamed the Opera House after Melania Trump.

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‘A Handout to Big Chemical’: On House Floor, Pingree Speaks Out Against Republican Farm Bill

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Speaking on the House floor last night, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) condemned the Republican Farm Bill that fails farmers and puts chemical company profits over the health of Americans. Pingree spoke in support of an amendment to remove dangerous, industry-written language that would pre-empt state rights to regulate pesticide usage or labeling and provide a liability shield for pesticide manufacturers. Representative Anna Paulina Luna’s (R-Fla.) amendment language is identical to the bipartisan amendment Pingree and Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) introduced.

“Our amendment to strike the pesticide liability shield sections from the Farm Bill has drawn broad bipartisan support, both within this chamber and across America,” Pingree said. “The harmful language that Republicans on the House Agriculture Committee included in the Farm Bill is a handout to Big Chemical and preempts states’ rights to regulate pesticide usage or labeling and provides a liability shield for pesticide manufacturers.”

Click here to watch Pingree’s full remarks

Transcript:

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the ranking member for yielding me the time.

I am sorry to say that this is a terrible Farm Bill. As a result of this bill, more people will go hungry. More farmers will lose assistance to conservation programs that are already oversubscribed. And more farmers who are struggling to make ends meet will find it more and more difficult to hang onto their farms.

I have a lot of concerns about this bill, but I’d like to use the limited time I have to show strong support for Representative Luna’s pesticide amendment. I am proud to say that her amendment, which was made in order, mirrors the language of the bipartisan amendment I sponsored with Representative Massie, and I want to thank Representative Luna for also working on this important issue.

Our amendment to strike the pesticide liability shield sections from the Farm Bill has drawn broad bipartisan support, both within this chamber and across America.

The harmful language that Republicans on the House Agriculture Committee included in the Farm Bill is a handout to Big Chemical and preempts states’ rights to regulate pesticide usage or labeling and provides a liability shield for pesticide manufacturers.

Put simply, this language puts chemical company profits over the health of Americans.

More than 200,000 Roundup-related health claims have been made against Bayer. Behind the numbers are real people—husbands, wives, farmers, even pets—with heartbreaking stories. People suffering from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and other devastating cancers, racking up outrageous medical bills.

And what’s worse, chemical manufacturers have spent time and money developing additional uses for these same chemicals beyond killing weeds. We see glyphosate now used to dry crops before harvest, and that means it makes its way into more and more of our food system. That means the bread we’re eating, the hummus, the pasta, is more likely to contain this toxic and dangerous chemical. So more and more people are ingesting it without even realizing it.

If this language is not removed, we will have handed companies like Bayer exactly what they have spent millions of dollars and lobbying power on: legal immunity.

Earlier this year, I successfully sought to strip similar language from the FY 2026 Interior Appropriations funding bill. Unfortunately, the work we did in that committee did not deter Bayer, who, armed with 53 lobbyists and millions of dollars, immediately got to work to get their get-out-of-jail-free card elsewhere, in this Farm Bill and at the Supreme Court.

Democrats, Republicans, and citizens across this country agree: Keep this language out of the Farm Bill.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I thank you, and I yield back.

Background:

Pingree, a longtime farmer and member of the House Agriculture Committee, attempted to strip this language from the Farm Bill during the committee markup in February. Pingree and Massie introduced the bipartisan Pingree-Massie Protect Our Health Amendment to remove this language from the final Farm Bill.

In January, Pingree successfully removed a similar provision from the FY2026 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill.

Earlier this year, President Trump signed an Executive Order to increase domestic production of glyphosate—a widely used weedkiller that has been linked to multiple health issues, including non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Pingree and Massie also introduced the No Immunity for Glyphosate Act, which would undo Trump’s Executive Order.

On Monday, April 27, the U.S. Supreme Court heard an appeal by the manufacturer of Roundup, supported by the Trump Administration, over lawsuits that allege it failed to warn consumers about the product’s dangers. Pingree and Massie both spoke at the "People vs. Poison" rally outside the Supreme Court [photos available here].

Pesticides in the United States are regulated under a combination of federal, state, and local laws. Debates over state and local authority to regulate pesticide use have been litigated for decades, particularly in cases involving widely used chemicals such as Roundup and paraquat, which have been linked to serious health harms. Many states, cities, and counties have adopted measures to restrict pesticide spraying near schools, homes, and public spaces, citing the heightened vulnerability of children to toxic exposure and risks to brain development, reproduction, and long-term health.

Seven states—Maine, Alaska, Hawaii, Maryland, Utah, Nevada, and Vermont—do not preempt local governments from regulating pesticide use within their jurisdictions. In Maine alone, there are more than 30 state and local regulations related to pesticide use and warning requirements that would be undermined or preempted under this Republican pesticide provision in the Farm Bill.

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