Journal

Chellie Pingree with Rachel Maddow

Watch Chellie talk with Rachel Maddow about a victory for voters rights in Maine.

Chellie Works to Create Opportunities for Small Businesses and Farmers

Introduces Local Farms, Food and Jobs Act

Chellie believes that it’s time to turn around the years of government subsidies aimed at growing big factory farms, and re-invest in small agricultural businesses that are the key to creating jobs and building a stronger economy.

This week, Chellie introduced the Local Farms, Food and Jobs Act to create opportunities for farmers and small businesses focused on agriculture to support local, family farmers in a way that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has failed to do in the past.

Become a Citizen Co-Sponsor of the Local Farms, Food and Jobs Act to show your support for sustainable agriculture and help increase our ability to buy healthy food grown close to home. To find out more about the bill, click here.

Chellie Interviewed on Rachel Maddow

This June, Republicans spearheaded and passed a bill to eliminate same-day voter registration in Maine. Chellie spoke with Rachel Maddow on MSNBC on Monday, June 15 about the Republicans' efforts to undermine voters' rights.

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Withdraw from Afghanistan

Last night, President Obama announced that Osama bin Laden had been captured and killed by US forces. This is welcome news which I hope provides a certain amount of closure for the families of the 9/11 victims. Now that we have accomplished this mission, there is no excuse for continuing our military engagement in Afghanistan. Please sign my petition, which I will deliver to President Obama. If enough of us sign, he'll get the message loud and clear that progressives, Mainers and Americans want to end the war in Afghanistan quickly. Read More »

Chellie continues fight for campaign finance reform

Chellie is continuing the fight to reform our current campaign finance system by introducing a bill this week that would create a system of public financing for Congressional campaigns, similar to one already in place in Maine. Read More »

Chellie asks VA Secretary to ease rules for victims of sexual assault

Nearly two dozen members of the U.S. House have written to VA Secretary Eric Shinseki asking him to ease the rules for victims of sexual assault in the military who now suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. The changes, similar to those that would be required in a bill Chellie has introduced, would relax burdensome requirements for proving the occurrence of rape or sexual assault that make it difficult to receive disability benefits and coverage for their medical care. Read More »

Chellie says regulations working, Maine fishermen playing by the rules

As Massachusetts fishermen met in Washington Tuesday to demand higher catch limits and millions of dollars in federal aid, Chellie is urging regulators to stick with the current system. Read More »

Chellie speaks at opening of Maine’s newest airport

Chellie helped cut the ribbon for Maine’s newest airport this afternoon—the Brunswick Executive Airport at the Brunswick Naval Air Station (BNAS.) Read More »

Chellie urges House leaders not to hijack budget bill with environmental rollbacks

Chellie is urging House Republican leaders not to use a budget bill to rush through 19 separate environmental rollbacks that would make it harder to stop air and water pollutions. Read More »

Chellie says federal grant for Memorial Bridge now secure

Chellie said on Wednesday that federal officials were signing the final documents necessary to secure a $20 million federal grant to help pay for a replacement for the Memorial Bridge in Kittery. The bridge, between Kittery and Portsmouth, is in desperate need of repair and is currently closed to truck traffic. Read More »

Chellie asking Pentagon to preserve sexual assault records

Chellie is backing a bill that would require the Department of Defense to preserve records of sexual assault against military personnel. The Support for Survivors Act, which was introduced Wednesday, would replace current Pentagon policy of destroying sexual assault records only a year after the assault is reported. Read More »

Chellie expects federal grant for Memorial Bridge to be secured

Chellie said Monday that a $20 million federal grant to help pay for a replacement for the Memorial Bridge in Kittery will likely be secured before the current government budget authority runs out at the end of next week. The funding has been threatened by budget proposals being debated in Congress. Read More »

Chellie in the News

This was a big week for Chellie as her daughter Hannah welcomed her first child, Elsie. Elsie is Chellie's second grandchild joining Smith, Chellie's grandson from her son Asa. Read More »

Chellie welcomes Army decision on Purple Heart rules

Last week Chellie was pleased that the Army is “clarifying” rules for awarding Purple Heart medals and urged Army veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and have been denied the medal to try again. Read More »

“Genetically engineered” crops?

When I first started farming in 1973, I hadn't even heard of "genetically engineered" seeds. The seeds we got came from the local garden supply store and I knew that with work and a little bit of luck a few months later they would produce a crop of organic, wholesome vegetables that we could sell to our friends and neighbors. Read More »

Chellie in the News

Last week Chellie was joined by other colleagues in Congress in signing a letter calling on President Obama to release oil from the reserve to help aid Maine families and the slowing economic growth. She received confirmation that the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard will receive approximately $100 million toward facility modernization and repair projects. And finally, she confirmed a hearing in mid-April in Portland giving fishermen a chance to weigh in on proposed bluefin tuna fishing regulations. Read More »

Chellie on fisheries enforcement, NPR funding and Afghanistan troop removal

This week Chellie saw much needed reforms to the way NOAA has been enforcing fisheries regulations, she voted to withdraw troops from Afghanistan by end of the year and voted in support of funding for NPR. Read More »

Update from Washington

These are challenging times, but I hope you are doing well and looking forward to Spring as I am. The first few months of 2011 have been quite busy in Maine and in Washington and I wanted to take a moment to fill you in on some of the things that I've been working on. Read More »

Chellie questions Petraeus on Afghanistan war

During a hearing in Washington on Wednesday, Chellie questioned General David Petraeus about the ongoing war in Afghanistan. Read More »

Chellie on big oil, tuna regs and spending bills

Yesterday Chellie voted for a short-term budget bill to keep the government operating for the next three weeks. She also announced she has cosponsored legislation to hold federal big oil companies accountable for exploiting oil crisis for profit through price gouging and asked the nation’s top fisheries regulator to hold a hearing in Maine and allow more time for comment on proposed bluefin tuna fishing regulations.  Read More »