Pingree, Chellie RSS Articles

Reps. Pingree, Garcia, Casar Call for Accountability After Three ICE Shootings and Body Camera Failures

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), and and Greg Casar (D-Texas), today sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director David J. Venturella calling for answers and accountability following three Immigration and Customs Enforcement shootings in their congressional districts where agents failed to wear body cameras.

The full letter is available here.

The Members point to the shootings of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston, Texas; Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine; and Wilber Rafael Garces Perez in Austin, Texas. In the latest case, Garces Perez was shot in the back by an ICE agent in Austin on September 20. The agent had been issued a body camera but was not wearing it. A second agent was wearing a camera, but it did not capture the shooting.

The repeated failures come despite significant funding from Congress. Earlier this year, Congress appropriated $20 million specifically for procuring, deploying, and operating body-worn cameras for federal immigration enforcement officers.

That is on top of an unprecedented increase in funding for ICE. Congress provided ICE roughly $75 billion in supplemental funding in 2025, followed by another $38.5 billion in 2026 through the Secure America Act.

“Over and over again, we’ve seen DHS agents resort to deadly violence when conducting enforcement operations in our districts. And when we demand to see the body cam footage, they give us the same tired excuses. No more,” said Congresswoman Pingree. “The fact that DHS has failed to outfit its officers with body cameras—despite having hundreds of billions of dollars at its disposal and more than a year to procure and deploy this equipment—is totally unacceptable. There is simply no reason that a federal agency with more money than most countries’ entire GDPs is not held to the same standards as local law enforcement. We deserve the truth about why cameras weren’t deployed during these most recent shootings, including the one that took the life of my constituent, Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, in Biddeford, Maine on July 13. Our demands are simple: Every immigration enforcement officer must have a working body camera, must be properly trained on how to use it, and be held accountable when that camera isn’t used.”

“ICE is not short on money. Congress has provided billions of dollars to this agency, and after Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was killed in my district, we were told body cameras were coming. The money is there. The deadlines have passed. So why does this keep happening?” said Congresswoman Garcia. “This is completely unacceptable. When federal agents use deadly force, the public should not be left in the dark. There must be transparency, accountability, and answers for the families who are left behind. Lorenzo’s family deserves answers. They deserve justice. DHS and ICE need to explain why their body camera system keeps failing when it matters most.”

"Wilber Garces Perez was shot in the back in Austin by an ICE agent who wasn't wearing a body camera, weeks after DHS promised every officer in the field would have one," said Congressman Casar. "Secretary Mullin keeps making promises while his agents keep shooting people. Secretary Mullin must release every second of footage from that scene, so we can know the truth.”

The letter also points to commitments DHS made following the July 7 killing of Salgado Araujo in Houston. During a July 15 phone call with Congresswoman Garcia, Secretary Mullin said all federal immigration officers would have body-worn cameras within 45 to 60 days. That deadline passed in September.

Salgado Araujo, a Houston construction worker and father of three, was killed without available body camera footage capturing the shooting. Days later, ICE fatally shot 25-year-old Colombian national Johan Sebastian Durán Guerrero. Agents involved in Guerrero’s shooting were also not wearing body cameras. Then, on September 20, Garces Perez was shot in Austin by an officer who had been issued a camera but was not wearing it.

Members are demanding DHS and ICE explain whether all federal immigration officers have been issued working body cameras and properly trained to use them. They also ask why the officer who shot Garces Perez was not wearing his issued camera, why the second officer’s camera failed to capture the shooting, whether other footage exists, and whether officers who fail to follow body camera rules will face disciplinary action.

The Members requested written answers from DHS and ICE by October 14, 2026.

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Pingree Presses Zeldin for Action as EPA Leaves Farmers in Limbo on PFAS-Contaminated Sludge

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, is pressing Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin to stop delaying meaningful federal action on per-and polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in sewage sludge. In a letter to Zeldin, Pingree warns that EPA’s latest draft guidance fails to provide a clear path toward enforceable protections for farmers, rural communities, and the nation’s food supply. The guidance was issued instead of finalizing EPA’s January 2025 draft risk assessment—which would have been an important step toward restricting the application of PFAS-contaminated sewage sludge, also known as biosolids, on farmland.

“As you and I have discussed at length, PFAS chemicals have been linked to serious health effects, including cancer, reproductive and developmental harms, and weakened immune systems. Maine farmers have had their livelihoods disrupted due to PFAS contamination, which originated in sewage sludge that was spread as fertilizer by farmers who were told by the government that it was safe to use,”Pingree wrote. “Unfortunately, this sewage sludge contained PFAS, leading to contamination of agricultural land, products, and water.”

Maine has been at the forefront of testing, cleanup, and research into PFAS contamination of farmland. An extensive state investigation found contamination on more than 50 farms linked to sewage sludge application. Farmers have lost income, faced threats to their livelihoods, and experienced health problems after unknowingly spreading contaminated sludge that government authorities had said was safe. Yet instead of completing its risk assessment and tightening protections for farmers and rural communities, Trump’s EPA released draft guidance this summer that leaves its regulatory plans unresolved.

“[...] Rather than finalizing this risk assessment, the Agency’s release of Draft Guidance for Reducing Risk from PFOA and PFOS in Biosolids leaves regulatory next steps unclear and farmers in limbo,” Pingree said.

With the public comment period on the guidance scheduled to close October 5, Pingree is calling on Zeldin to explain:

Whether EPA intends to finalize its draft sewage sludge risk assessment for PFOA and PFOS;
What scientific review supports a decision not to finalize it;
How EPA will prevent further contamination and protect farmers from the unique exposure risks created by land application of sewage sludge;
When EPA will propose enforceable limits on land application;
Whether EPA will address PFAS chemicals beyond PFOA and PFOS; and
How EPA is working with the Department of Agriculture to help farmers, ranchers, and rural communities manage PFAS contamination.

“Without additional action by EPA, farmers across the country will continue to be at heightened risk from PFAS exposure from land application of biosolids,” Pingree wrote. “It is critical that EPA takes additional steps to protect our rural communities and food supply.”

The full letter is available here and is copied below.

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Dear Administrator Zeldin,

I write to you regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) efforts to reduce risk from per-and polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in sewage sludge, also known as biosolids. As you and I have discussed at length, PFAS chemicals have been linked to serious health effects, including cancer, reproductive and developmental harms, and weakened immune systems. Maine farmers have had their livelihoods disrupted due to PFAS contamination, which originated in sewage sludge that was spread as fertilizer by farmers who were told by the government that it was safe to use. Unfortunately, this sewage sludge contained PFAS, leading to contamination of agricultural land, products, and water.

Maine is far from the only state in this situation, but we have been on the front lines on testing, cleanup, and research. An extensive state investigation found contamination found on over 50 farms because of sewage sludge. These farmers have had their livelihoods lost or threatened and experienced health problems. This is an issue across the country whether states are taking action or not, and it is imperative the federal government, and EPA specifically, continues to advance research and remediation efforts to protect our food supply and rural economies, including by actively preventing additional contamination.

EPA’s Draft Sewage Sludge Risk Assessment for Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS), released in January 2025, was an important step towards eventual restrictions on applying contaminated sludge to farmland, but rather than finalizing this risk assessment, the Agency’s release of Draft Guidance for Reducing Risk from PFOA and PFOS in Biosolids leaves regulatory next steps unclear and farmers in limbo.

Please respond to these questions by November 16, 2026:

Does EPA intend to finalize the Draft Sewage Sludge Risk Assessment for Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS)?
If not, how is that decision documented, and what scientific review supported that conclusion?
If not, how does EPA intend to prevent additional land contamination and protect farmers specifically from the additional, unique exposure pathways they face from land application of sewage sludge?
What are EPA’s next steps to propose enforceable regulatory limits on land application of sewage sludge?
Does EPA plan to expand its focus beyond PFOA and PFOS to other types of PFAS contamination?
How is EPA working with USDA to help farmers, ranchers, and rural communities manage PFAS impacts in agricultural settings?

Without additional action by EPA, farmers across the country will continue to be at heightened risk from PFAS exposure from land application of biosolids. It is critical that EPA takes additional steps to protect our rural communities and food supply. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

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Top House, Senate Interior Appropriators Lead Bipartisan Bill to Prevent Demolition of the Kennedy Center

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Maine Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, Ranking Members of the House and Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittees, today unveiled legislation to protect presidential monuments like the Kennedy Center from demolition. The bicameral, bipartisan Protecting Presidential Memorials Act would prohibit any Congressionally designated memorial honoring a U.S. President—including the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Memorial, and Jefferson Memorial—from being demolished unless authorized by an act of Congress.

“The Kennedy Center is our nation’s living memorial to President John F. Kennedy—someone who truly cherished the arts. For Donald Trump to attempt to usurp this great memorial by putting his own name above JFK’s—and then threaten to demolish the building if he doesn’t get his way—is beyond the pale,” said Pingree. “When Congress designates a place to memorialize a president, no administration should be able to tear it down on a whim. This bill establishes a simple safeguard: if Congress created the designation, only an act of Congress can authorize its demolition.”

“Trump’s threats to tear down the Kennedy Center—all because the law says he can’t put his name on the building—are straight out of the authoritarian playbook and should infuriate every American who values our history and the rule of law,” said Merkley. “The Kennedy Center is one of our nation’s great contributions to the human spirit, honoring our slain president who championed the arts. This one-page bill is a straightforward solution to protect this treasure and other presidential memorials.”

On Monday night, Merkley attempted to pass the Protecting Presidential Memorials Act—which he co-led with Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska—by unanimous consent in the Senate, but that effort was blocked by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah).

The National Cultural Center was established by Congress in 1958, renamed in honor of John F. Kennedy shortly after his death, and opened to the public in 1971. For more than 50 years, it has celebrated artistic excellence, fostered creativity and reflected Kennedy’s steadfast belief that equitable access to the arts is essential to democracy.

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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Pingree, Kelly Call Out Reports of Illegal Union-Busting at Prime Healthcare

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) are leading a group of their Democratic colleagues in demanding that Prime Healthcare end alleged intimidation and retaliation against nurses engaged in federally protected union activity at its hospitals in Maine, Illinois, and Nevada. In a letter to Prime Healthcare Chairman and CEO Dr. Prem Reddy, the lawmakers cite reports of dozens of nurses being suspended or fired, police being called on nurses and organizers lawfully distributing information outside a hospital, and hospital-branded materials urging employees to vote against union representation.

The letter comes as nurses at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine; Olympia Fields Hospital in Olympia Fields, Illinois; and Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, Illinois, seek representation through the National Nurses Organizing Committee. At Central Maine Medical Center alone, Prime Healthcare has suspended or fired at least 20 nurses during the organizing campaign—actions the nurses and the union allege are retaliation for advocating for safer staffing, adequate resources, and improved patient care. Olympia Fields Hospital has also reportedly suspended six nurses.

“Registered nurses at these Prime facilities are fighting to ensure they can provide the very best care to the communities they serve, including concerns about cuts to vital services that patients rely on. As you are aware, just last year, Senators Duckworth and Durbin contacted you about reversing Prime’s decision to reduce services in several newly acquired hospitals across Illinois,” the lawmakers wrote. “We remain deeply concerned about warnings from these workers that recent changes to services and designations will impact standards and delivery of care in our communities.”

The lawmakers also highlight alleged retaliation at other Prime Healthcare facilities, including the firing of six nurses at Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital in Chicago ahead of a June union election and two nurses at Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Reno, Nevada. They are urging Prime Healthcare to comply fully with the National Labor Relations Act, allow employees to decide freely whether to unionize, and negotiate in good faith with workers who choose union representation.[CI3]

“All workers should have the free choice to join a union, should they choose to form one, without interference or intimidation,” they said. “[...] We will continue to monitor Prime Healthcare’s actions closely and, should nurses at those facilities form a union, expect you to negotiate a fair contract in good faith with workers in accordance with the law.”

The letter is available here and is copied below.

Joining Pingree and Kelly on the letter are: Reps. Gilbert Cisneros (D-Calif.), Jesús "Chuy" García (D-Ill.), Jared Golden (D-Maine), Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.), and Maxine Waters (D-Calif.).

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Dear Dr. Reddy,

We write regarding registered nurses’ ongoing efforts to organize a union at three Prime Healthcare hospitals and to express concern over alleged illegal anti-union activities. We have received deeply troubling reports from our constituents and organizers that Prime Health is unlawfully intimidating and retaliating against workers involved in union organizing activity.

As you know, workers have a right to organize free from intimidation or coercion as well as engage in protected concerted activity under Sections 7 and 8 of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). We remain committed to ensuring that workers’ rights are respected in accordance with relevant federal and state laws.

Since the registered nurses at Central Maine Medical Center, Olympia Fields Hospital, and Saint Francis Hospital filed election petitions with the National Labor Relations Board to join the National Nurses Organizing Committee (NNOC), we have been informed that nurses have experienced various attempts to stop or interfere with their organizing. These efforts have included calling the police on nurses and organizers exercising their lawful right to table outside of the hospital and posting flyers with the hospital logo urging nurses to consider voting no during the NLRB election.

Additionally, multiple nurses engaging in protected activity were suspended, some of whom were then fired, after speaking out about raising patient care concerns within the hospital, including calling attention to dangerously understaffed units. At Central Maine Medical Center (CMMC) in Lewiston, Maine, at least 20 nurses have been suspended or fired in seemingly direct retaliation for their protected union organizing activity. At Olympia Fields Hospital, six nurses have also been suspended.

In May and June of this year, management at Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital in Chicago fired six nurses in alleged retaliation for union organizing efforts. While the nurses voted overwhelmingly to unionize on June 17th, the six nurses have yet to be reinstated. Additionally, two nurses were fired at Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Reno, Nevada. These reports from our constituents are highly alarming, and we take their concerns and their impact on our communities seriously.

Registered nurses at these Prime facilities are fighting to ensure they can provide the very best care to the communities they serve, including concerns about cuts to vital services that patients rely on. As you are aware, just last year, Senators Duckworth and Durbin contacted you about reversing Prime’s decision to reduce services in several newly acquired hospitals across Illinois. We remain deeply concerned about warnings from these workers that recent changes to services and designations will impact standards and delivery of care in our communities.

As you know, workers have a right to organize free from intimidation or coercion as well as engage in protected concerted activity under Sections 7 and 8 of the NLRA. We remain committed to ensuring that workers’ rights are respected in accordance with relevant federal and state laws. All workers should have the free choice to join a union, should they choose to form one, without interference or intimidation. Therefore, we strongly urge Prime Healthcare to refrain from engaging in intimidation, retaliation, or other forms of illegal interference, including illegal terminations, in accordance with the NLRA, to provide workers the opportunity to decide on their own whether they should join a union.

We will continue to monitor Prime Healthcare’s actions closely and, should nurses at those facilities form a union, expect you to negotiate a fair contract in good faith with workers in accordance with the law.

Sincerely,

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Pingree Hears Emotional Testimony from Families, Representatives of Slain ICE Victims

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) joined U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a bicameral public forum of fatal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shootings across the country. Members heard emotional testimony on the killings of Ruben Ray Martinez and Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Texas, Renée Nicole Macklin Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota, and Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Maine.

Watch Pingree’s portion of questioning here; the full hearing is available to watch here.

Click here for photos from the hearing.

“Listening to these families today was heartbreaking and infuriating,” said Pingree. “Ruben Ray Martinez was killed by an ICE agent, and DHS refused to even admit it happened for nearly a year, until a public records request forced the truth out. Alex Pretti was shot in the back, and it took a bystander's video to prove the government's own account of his death was a lie. Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero's family still has no confirmation that any federal agency is investigating his death, months later. How can the government take someone’s life and leave their family without a clear account of what happened or why? These families deserve answers. Congress has a duty to demand a full accounting and hold federal officials accountable for the abuses committed using taxpayer dollars. Republicans should be demanding those answers alongside us, but they have been derelict in their duties—refusing to hold hearings like this one. Democrats and I will keep fighting for the truth and for justice.”

Other Members participating in the hearing included Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Reps. Emily Randall (D-Wash.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), Wesley Bell (D-Mo.), Don Beyer (D-Va.), Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.), and Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.).

The following witnesses offered testimony about the fatal shootings of five people by federal immigration agents during the Trump Administration:

Rachel Reyes: Rachel Reyes’ son, Ruben Ray Martinez, was shot and killed by an ICE agent in March 2025 in South Padre Island, Texas. For nearly a year afterwards, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) refused to publicly acknowledge its involvement in Mr. Martinez’s death, which only came to light through a public records request.

Donna and Brent Ganger: Donna Ganger’s daughter and Brent Ganger’s sister, Renée Nicole Macklin Good, was shot and killed by an ICE agent in January 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Stella Carlson: Stella Carlson recorded the killing of Alex Pretti in January 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ms. Carlson, known as the “woman in the pink coat,” was on her way to work when she witnessed and filmed an immigration agent shooting Mr. Pretti in the back. Her video confirmed that DHS’s account of the fatal shooting was false.

Ronaldo and Lorenzo Salgado: Ronaldo and Lorenzo Salgado’s father, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, was shot and killed in Houston, Texas in July 2026. Mr. Araujo was driving to work when he was confronted by ICE agents who fired into the vehicle, killing him.

Sean P. Murphy: Sean P. Murphy represents the family of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero who was shot and killed by an ICE agent shortly after leaving for work early in the morning hours of July 13, 2026. He was not the target of any ICE removal operation and had no criminal history. Johan Sebastián did have a social security number and valid work authorization issued by the current administration. To date, no federal agency has confirmed that they are investigating.

"The loss of Johan Sebastián is a tragedy. In the past two months, Ben [Gideon] and I have been fighting for him. We will continue to fight for him. We will continue to fight for justice and accountability And while I desperately want to keep this focused on the tragedy of losing even one life to the world, I would be remiss if I did not address the political elephant in the room, that on the other side of Johan’s life lost is the nefarious decision by this administration to steal and take that life,” Murphy said in his testimony. “[…] The only justification given for Johan’s death was that it was in the interest of public safety. You know what actually keeps the public safe? Not shooting innocent and law-abiding fathers whose only dream is to build a better life for his family.”

Watch Murphy’s full testimony here.

In August, Pingree, Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), and Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.), a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, hosted a Democratic shadow hearingexamining ICE’s use of force and abuse of power following the tragic killing of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Biddeford.

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On Heels of Fashion Week, Pingree Champions First-Of-Its-Kind Bill to Fight Fast Fashion Pollution

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), founder and chair of the Slow Fashion Caucus, introduced the Textile Waste Reduction Act (TWRA), a first-of-its-kind bill to address the harmful impacts of fast fashion-driven waste. Based on recommendations made in the first-ever Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on fast fashion pollution—originally requested by Pingree and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) in 2023—this landmark legislation establishes the first coordinated federal framework to reduce textile waste, improve data collection, and develop a national strategy to advance circularity in the textile industry.

“The GAO report confirmed what we’ve known for years: that textile waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the U.S.; that it’s being driven largely by fast fashion; and that federal action is necessary to confront this crisis in a real, impactful way,” said Congresswoman Pingree. “This bill would help lay the foundation for that effort by creating a coordinated federal strategy to reduce textile waste and build a more circular textile economy. Our country has the resources and know-how to lead this effort on a global scale. It’s well past time we turn that potential into action—and help transform this wasteful industry into one that’s more efficient, more sustainable, and better for people and the planet.”

Specifically, the TWRA:

Directs the EPA Administrator to take coordinated federal action to advance textile circularity
Requires EPA to develop a comprehensive National Textile Circularity Strategy and conduct a needs assessment identifying the actions, investments, and policy priorities necessary to implement the strategy
Creates an Interagency Working Group on Textile Circularity to coordinate federal activities
Establishes an Advisory Board to provide recommendations to the Interagency Working Group
Requires EPA to identify and publish federal funding opportunities available to states, Tribal governments, local governments, and nongovernmental organizations that support textile circularity
Requires EPA to annually publish updated data on textile waste generation and management

Background:

Textile waste is now one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the United States, with millions of tons of textiles discarded each year and the vast majority ending up in landfills. These discarded materials may leach contaminants including PFAS and microplastics into water and soil and increase costs on communities grappling with capacity shortages at landfills.

Despite the harmful impacts of this fast fashion-driven increase in textile waste, there has been no coordinated effort at the federal level to tackle this problem and support a more circular textiles economy.

In addition, over the past several decades, hundreds of thousands of fiber and textile jobs that once sustained communities across America have shifted overseas, harming American farmers and communities in the process.

Pingree founded and launched the Congressional Slow Fashion Caucus in June 2024 to create climate-smart policies to reduce, repair, rewear, and recycle textiles. The caucus has garnered widespread support, including from American Circular Textiles, the Garment Worker Center, Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project, Patagonia, ThredUp, fashion designer and slow fashion influencer Kelly Dempsey, and more.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

Pingree is Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, which oversees the EPA.

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Pingree, Congressional Democrats Call Out Trump Admin’s Corrupt Offshore Wind Buyouts

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), joined members of Congress and labor and environmental advocates in front of the U.S. Capitol to speak out against the Trump administration’s continued attacks on offshore wind. Pingree joined Representatives Deborah Ross (D-N.C.), Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.) and Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.)—along with Kendall Martin, General Vice President of Ironworkers International, and Bob Keefe, Executive Director of E2 | Economy+Environment—to call attention to the lack of accountability around the corrupt, taxpayer-funded offshore wind buyout deals, which now cover 12 offshore wind leases and five developers. Since March, the Department of the Interior has made unprecedented use of the Treasury Department’s Judgment Fund to pay developers nearly $4 billion in taxpayer funds to vacate their offshore wind leases.

“The Trump administration is spending nearly $4 billion in taxpayer funds to cancel 12 offshore wind leases at the same time when Americans' utility bills are rising. Their priorities are completely out of whack," said Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01). “As Ranking Member of the Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, I take Congress’s power of the purse seriously. Taxpayers deserve to know who authorized these buyouts, how they were valued, and why the Judgment Fund was used. We need transparency, accountability, and more affordable, reliable domestic energy—not dirty deals that force taxpayers to pay for less of it.”

President Trump continues to wage his war on offshore wind amid rising electricity demand and skyrocketing energy bills. These cancellations jeopardize clean energy projects that would have delivered affordable, reliable energy to millions of U.S. households and businesses and hobble industries that create thousands of good-paying jobs across the country.

To date, the administration has bought out twelve offshore wind leases, including planned projects off the coasts of Maine, New York, New Jersey, California, North Carolina, and Massachusetts. Cancelling these leases takes away planned domestic power generation and hinders grid diversification, causing real reliability risks and higher energy bills for millions.

“I’ve seen firsthand what offshore wind and renewable energy can do for our communities. They can lower costs, provide new sources of power to our homes and businesses, and create good-paying jobs. My home state of North Carolina has been a long time leader in clean energy, including offshore wind," said Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02). “The cancelled projects would have created thousands of good-paying jobs and powered over 300,000 homes. This is happening when we are already experiencing record-high electricity prices across our state. [...] President Trump and the Department of Energy put their political agenda ahead of North Carolina's economic and energy needs. Families cannot afford to pay the price for that.”

“What is so outrageous about these buyouts that are now totaling almost $4 billion of taxpayer money that’s just been lit on fire is that we’re going through a time when families are struggling," said Congressman Jared Huffman (CA-02). “We’ve got this industry ready to make major investments in coastal communities that will not only create jobs but will provide cheap and reliable clean power that will bring electric rates down. This is exactly what we need at this time.”

“The administration spent nearly $4 billion in taxpayer funds to illegally cancel promising offshore wind project leases across the country, including 2 of 3 in my district off of Morro Bay,” said Congressman Salud Carbajal (CA-24). “As families face higher energy costs because of the president’s disastrous war in Iran, these cancellations will just inflict more damage to our economy and family budgets—not to mention the big waste of taxpayer funds. I won’t let this extreme federal overreach go unchallenged, and I will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with all of my colleagues here and our communities affected by these cancelled leases to say yes to wind, no to dirty deals.”

“What is happening here? It’s just corruption on stilts. We need more affordable, made-in-America, union, ready-to-go power than ever before – and we need it to be clean, because climate change is getting worse and costing us millions and billions more every single year,” said Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts. “This is Economics 101. We’ve got a major supply and demand problem: Trump is killing our electricity supply at his donors’ demand. Instead of solving the energy affordability crisis he has created, Trump is blocking offshore wind from the grid. He’s taking union workers out of work by the tens of thousands. And to add insult to injury, he’s spending your money to do it.”

“Offshore wind is here, and it’s working. It’s saving ratepayers money, breaking our dependence on volatile foreign fuel markets, creating cleaner air, and putting thousands of American union members to work,” said Kendall Martin, General Vice President of Ironworkers International. “It is common sense to keep building this necessary infrastructure at a time of increasing energy demand. Union workers in offshore wind are just trying to do our jobs, pay our bills, and build something that leaves the planet a little better for our kids and grandkids. I ask the Trump administration to stop these senseless attacks on American energy and let us get to work.”

“It makes no sense to waste billions in taxpayer dollars paying companies not to build new energy sources – especially at a time when electricity demand and prices are soaring,” said Bob Keefe, Executive Director of E2 | Economy+Environment. “And we’re not just losing new made-in-America energy here. We’re losing new jobs, new investments, new tax revenues and new opportunities in coastal communities that could use a break.”

“While families face skyrocketing bills and worry about blackouts or power outages, offshore wind provides a cheaper, more reliable, and cleaner energy future for all of us,” said Sierra Club Chief Program Officer Holly Bender. “Offshore wind is here and ready to be deployed in the United States, but Donald Trump is hell-bent on creating obstacles that tip the scales in favor of fossil fuels. It is completely unacceptable that $4 billion of our taxpayer dollars have been wasted on paying off energy companies to cancel renewable energy projects and double down on fossil fuels. We are grateful for the support of our partners in Congress and together we will continue to fight for a healthier, more affordable, and cleaner future.”

“As if energy costs were not high enough, the Trump administration has spent almost four billion taxpayer dollars to keep our energy costs high by blocking affordable clean offshore wind energy,” said David Shadburn, Legislative Director at the League of Conservation Voters. “Trump is instead directing our tax dollars to new LNG export projects, shipping gas overseas and actually driving prices back home even higher, all while enriching Trump’s fossil fuel donors. We stand with clean energy leaders in Congress who are fighting to hold this administration to account and lower costs for working families.”

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House Passes Pingree Bill to Cut Diesel Pollution, Protect Maine Families

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) applauded the passage of the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation aimed at protecting public health and lowering the cost of replacing older, heavily polluting diesel engines. Introduced by Pingree and Reps. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), and Nick Longworthy (R-N.Y.), the bill reauthorizes the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act program (DERA) through fiscal year 2029 at $100 million annually.

First created through the Energy Policy Act of 2005, DERA provides grants and rebates that help schools, local governments, small businesses, and fleet operators replace or upgrade older diesel-powered trucks, buses, construction equipment, and other heavy-duty engines.

“Diesel fuel powers Maine’s boats, ferries, buses, construction trucks, agricultural equipment, and more, but emissions from older diesel engines have serious consequences for public health and the environment. Since its passage in 2005, the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act has helped replace or retrofit nearly 100,000 diesel engines, vehicles, and pieces of equipment and deliver cleaner air and billions in public health benefits to communities across the country—including here in Maine,” said Congresswoman Pingree. “With Trump’s reckless war in Iran increasing volatility in global energy markets, and with the threats posed by climate change looming larger every day, Congress took a much-needed step today to reauthorize DERA so that we can continue to pursue solutions that help reduce our dependence on foreign energy and incentivize American consumers and businesses to embrace more efficient technologies. Reauthorizing this proven program will help us make progress on both fronts, while reducing pollution and improving air quality in Maine and across the country.”

“For more than two decades, DERA has been a model of effective, bipartisan policymaking,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “Under the program, California has replaced thousands of polluting trucks, tractors, and school buses, helping children breathe cleaner and healthier air as they ride to school. And now, as diesel prices reach $6 per gallon nationally, DERA is more important than ever. It doesn’t just save lives, it saves people money. I’m proud that the House voted to continue funding this practical, commonsense program.”

“Today’s passage of the bipartisan Diesel Emissions Reduction Act is a win for American workers, American manufacturing, and communities across the country,” said Congressman Langworthy. “This legislation will help replace aging diesel engines in school buses, snowplows, agricultural equipment, emergency vehicles, and other critical equipment with newer, American-made technology. That means cleaner air for our communities while supporting good-paying manufacturing jobs right here at home. I’m proud to have co-led this bipartisan effort with Congresswoman Matsui, and I urge the Senate to pass this bill and get it to the President's desk."

Diesel engines are known to produce an outsized share of pollutants that contribute to asthma, heart and lung disease, and premature death—but remain in service across the economy due to the significant cost of replacement.

Since its creation, DERA has helped retire these outdated engines sooner by lowering the cost of cleaner replacements, returning up to $30 in public-health benefits for every federal dollar invested. The program’s voluntary, technology-neutral model allows communities to choose the upgrades that best suit their needs.

Since 2008, the program has improved more than 76,900 vehicles and engines nationwide.

Pingree has long been a champion of the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act, cosponsoring its previous reauthorization in 2019.

Full text of the bill is available HERE.

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Responding to Pingree Request, GAO Finds USDA Has Done Too Little to Protect Farms and Forests from Climate-Driven Diseases and Pests

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), a longtime organic farmer and member of the House Agriculture Committee, is calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to swiftly implement recommendations from a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that examines the growing climate-related risks that diseases and pests pose to American farms and forests.

In September 2019, Pingree and former Representative Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) asked GAO to undertake a broad examination of USDA’s climate-related work in agriculture, including the status of USDA Climate Hubs and additional actions the department could take. That oversight request previously produced a 2023 GAO report, which outlined 13 options for strengthening agricultural climate resilience. The latest report focuses on climate-related diseases and pests affecting both farms and forests.

For its latest review, GAO examined federal laws, regulations, agency guidance, and scientific literature; interviewed 84 government and nongovernment stakeholders; and conducted site visits in eight states, including Maine.

The report, “Agricultural Diseases and Pests: Nationwide Assessment and Strategy Needed to Enhance the Climate Resilience of Farms and Forests,” found that USDA has taken “few actions” to address these risks—and that staffing and funding for some of the programs doing this work have declined.

“Climate change is rewriting the rulebook for farming and forestry. Pests are moving beyond their typical boundaries, outbreaks are starting earlier and lasting longer, and some of the management methods farmers have relied on for years are becoming less effective. In Maine, where our economy and way of life depend on healthy farms and forests, this is not an abstract warning. It is already happening,” said Pingree. “USDA should be our first line of defense—providing farmers and forest landowners with reliable science, early warnings, and practical assistance. Instead, the Trump Administration is proposing deep cuts to the Climate Hubs and other programs while shedding the expertise needed to confront these threats. House Republicans have gone along with this and eliminated funds for Climate Hubs in the proposed fiscal year 2027 Agriculture Appropriations Bill. That is dangerously shortsighted. GAO has provided a practical roadmap, and USDA should act on both recommendations without delay.”

Among GAO’s key findings:

From 1960 through 2020, invasive species—including diseases and pests—cost the U.S. agricultural and forestry sectors at least $550 billion.
Climate change is expanding or shifting the geographic range of diseases and pests while increasing the timing, duration, and scale of outbreaks. The southern pine beetle, once concentrated in southern and mid-Atlantic states, has now been detected as far north as Maine.
Warmer winters are allowing pests such as corn earworm to appear earlier and in greater numbers, making some traditional pest-management methods less effective and potentially increasing crop losses and pesticide use.
USDA has not fully integrated disease and pest risks into its climate-resilience planning and has provided farmers and land managers with limited information and technical assistance addressing individual threats.
USDA Climate Hubs have supported research, forecasting tools, and outreach related to specific pests and diseases, but the hubs have lost staff and face proposed funding cuts.
The President’s fiscal year 2027 budget proposed cutting $153 million from Agricultural Research Service climate-science research and the Climate Hubs, as well as more than $300 million from Forest Service State, Private and Tribal Forestry activities.
An analysis published with the fiscal year 2024 President’s Budget estimated that, by 2100, climate change could increase federal crop-insurance payments by $300 million to $2.2 billion annually.

GAO requested updated information from USDA in April 2026, but the department did not respond. USDA also did not provide written comments stating whether it agreed or disagreed with GAO’s findings and recommendations.

The threats identified by GAO are already affecting Maine producers. Recent reporting by the Portland Press Herald described how Emma Sanchi of Crowfoot Farm in Lyman uses insect netting, row covers, and a high tunnel to protect vegetables from pests, diseases, and increasingly volatile weather. Sanchi has sought USDA assistance to construct another high tunnel—an investment that can cost more than $15,000. The article also highlighted efforts by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association to help farmers track and manage diseases encouraged by hotter, more humid conditions.

GAO made two recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture:

In consultation with agricultural and land-management stakeholders, conduct a nationwide assessment identifying and comparing the climate-related risks posed by agricultural and forest diseases and pests.
Use that assessment to develop a national strategy for managing the identified risks.

GAO identified four central areas for such a strategy:

Improve and coordinate disease and pest monitoring and surveillance;
Incorporate climate information into modeling and projections;
Coordinate and expand education, outreach, and technical assistance; and
Modify existing—or develop new—disease and pest management strategies.

“The longer USDA waits, the more expensive and difficult this problem will become,” Pingree said. “A nationwide risk assessment and coordinated strategy would help direct limited resources where they can do the most good, give producers the information they need, and reduce the growing costs borne by farmers, landowners, and taxpayers.”

Pingree’s letter to USDA Secretary Rollins is available here and copied below.

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Secretary Rollins,

I am writing to urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to swiftly implement the recommendations in the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) recent report, Agricultural Diseases and Pests: Nationwide Assessment and Strategy Needed to Enhance the Climate Resilience of Farms and Forests. Farmers, ranchers, and foresters know all too well that the impacts of climate change are not distant or theoretical—they are already materializing on the ground and affecting their operations and livelihoods.

GAO found that USDA has taken few actions to enhance the resilience of farms and forests to climate‑related diseases and pests, despite clear trends showing rapidly escalating threats. USDA’s Climate Hubs—once instrumental in providing regionally tailored climate and pest information—have reduced their capacity at precisely the moment producers need them most.

The consequences of inaction are significant. Between 1960 and 2020, invasive species—including diseases and pests—cost U.S. agriculture and forestry at least $550 billion. Climate change is further compounding these risks. A 2024 analysis estimated that shifting climate conditions could increase federal crop insurance costs by $300 million to $2.2 billion annually. Given the scale of documented losses and projected future costs, it would be fiscally irresponsible for USDA to disregard these findings or delay action.

The GAO report lays out a practical, forward-looking roadmap that USDA should adopt without delay. The first step is for USDA, in consultation with stakeholders across the agricultural and land-management communities, to conduct a nationwide risk assessment to identify and assess the relative risks of climate‑related diseases and pests. Such an assessment would provide the analytical foundation for a national strategy to confront these threats before they escalate further. GAO identified four key activities that should inform such a strategy: “improve and coordinate monitoring and surveillances of diseases and pests, incorporate climate information into modeling and projection data, coordinate and expand education, outreach, and technical assistance, and modify existing or develop new diseases and pest management strategies.”

Farmers and foresters across Maine are already being forced to adapt to unpredictable and extreme weather, pest outbreaks, and shifting growing seasons. Visit with any producer across the country and their stories will confirm the urgent need for USDA leadership. Farmers in my state have seen dramatic increases in pest populations, requiring many to spend thousands of dollars investing in netting and high tunnels to protect their crops. Others have faced late freezes, heavy rainfall, extreme heat, and drought that have damaged or destroyed crops. Some have also struggled to obtain timely crop insurance or disaster assistance to recover from these losses. As the report notes, rising temperatures have enabled the southern pine beetle to expand its range into forests as far north as Maine. The resulting tree death and damage can leave forests more vulnerable to future insect outbreaks and wildfires.

These stories demonstrate that climate change is not a distant threat—it is a daily reality for Maine farmers, who are innovating and adapting but cannot shoulder the burden alone. USDA must meet this moment with urgency, leadership, and a clear commitment to implementing the GAO’s recommendations.

Thank you for your attention to this critical issue. I look forward to your response to assist farmers, ranchers, and foresters facing the impacts of climate change and your plans to reduce climate-related risks to American agriculture and forestry while protecting taxpayers from avoidable future costs.

Sincerely,

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Ranking Member Pingree Slams Interior Plan to Carve Up Yosemite for Private Development

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, is pushing back against the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) proposed land exchange in Yosemite National Park. The project is listed as DOI’s sixth most important priority—even though Interior has acknowledged that it has not identified the parcel it intends to exchange.

In a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Pingree warns that the Department is seeking approval without identifying the property involved or demonstrating any public benefit.

“Given the complete absence of any demonstrated conservation or other public benefit, the unavoidable conclusion is that this project has been deemed a departmental priority to advance a private transaction rather than a public purpose,” Pingree said. “The Land and Water Conservation Fund exists to safeguard land for the American people—not to serve as a federal concierge for a private landowner’s real estate ambitions. Absent compelling evidence to the contrary, which has not been provided by the Department, this project should not move forward.”

The full letter is available here and is copied below.

Congress established the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) in 1964 to protect natural areas, water resources, and cultural heritage while expanding outdoor recreation access. At no cost to taxpayers, LWCF provides matching grants to Tribal, state and local governments to support the acquisition and development of land for public parks and other outdoor recreation sites. Congress permanently reauthorized the program in 2019, and the Great American Outdoors Act of 2020 provided it with $900 million in permanent annual funding.

The proposed Yosemite exchange involves Kingsbarn Realty Capital, which owns the approximately 83-acre Hazel Green Ranch along the park’s western boundary. The developer has said it is seeking approximately 1.1 acres of federal land to construct a roughly 700-foot road connecting a planned lodging development to Big Oak Flat Road inside Yosemite. In return, it would acquire and transfer property of equal value in California, but that replacement property has not been identified. A previous owner of Hazel Green Ranch pursued separate easement claims seeking more direct access through Yosemite, but a federal district court dismissed those claims, and the Ninth Circuit affirmed the dismissal in 2012.

Interior has said no final decision has been made and that any proposal moving forward would be subject to environmental review and public notification.

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Dear Secretary Burgum:

I am writing in response to the Land and Water Conservation Fund project lists that the Department of the Interior (DOI) submitted for Fiscal Year 2026. As required by Section 428(2)(A) of Public Law 119-74, these lists are subject to the Committee’s reprogramming guidelines.

I strongly oppose proceeding with the land exchange project in Yosemite National Park, priority number 6. In its communication with the Committee, DOI asserted that this land exchange is a priority while acknowledging that it has not identified an exchange parcel. Therefore, the National Park Service cannot possibly have assessed the public benefit or suitability of the exchange. DOI is effectively asking the Committee to approve a solution before it has identified either the property involved or the public purpose served. Given the complete absence of any demonstrated conservation or other public benefit, the unavoidable conclusion is that this project has been deemed a departmental priority to advance a private transaction rather than a public purpose. The Land and Water Conservation Fund exists to safeguard land for the American people—not to serve as a federal concierge for a private landowner’s real estate ambitions. Absent compelling evidence to the contrary, which has not been provided by the Department, this project should not move forward.

Additionally, I am deeply troubled by the omission of certain Fish and Wildlife land acquisition projects, for which the Department has routinely requested funding for over recent years and for which additional funding needs remain. The information provided by the Department to date about the prioritization of projects in the Fish and Wildlife Service Fiscal Year 2026 land acquisition and supplemental lists has been wholly inadequate and provides no meaningful basis for evaluating these unexplained omissions.

Since these lists were transmitted to the Committee, staff have asked for additional details. To date, DOI has failed to provide sufficient responses to the requested information. Accordingly, I ask that the Department immediately provide complete responses to the Committee.

I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

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