Jared Golden

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Speaker, just a few quick rebuttals. One of my colleagues talked about 30-plus right whale deaths attributed to fisheries in America. I don't know where those numbers come from. All I can tell you is a simple fact, which is that in my 8 years in Congress, there has been one attributed death of a whale to the Maine lobster fishery. That is in 8 years, one, not 30-plus, a single one. In the 20 or 30 years preceding that, there were zero, so I am not quite sure where his numbers are coming from. In regard to ropeless gear, it has been said that a million pounds of lobster was caught with ropeless gear in the last 4 years. Well, we are talking about a fishery that lands over 70 million pounds per year. Do the math. That is over 300 million pounds of lobster provided to the American people. The fact of the matter is that ropeless fishing gear may be a viable alternative some day in the future, but it ain't there yet. It is a long way from being there. A requirement to move to ropeless gear would represent one thing: Shutting down the fishery.

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Speaker, first, I will offer a bit of a rebuttal to my colleague across the aisle. Of course, I am in his party, but I am standing over here today supporting this legislation. There has been some talk about timeline. This is 2 years down the road, but, in fact, everyone here knows that a lot of work goes into developing new regulations, guidelines, and other things before we just deploy them out into the world. Even though that deadline is 2 years out, NOAA is already working on those regulations. Something that NOAA and the Maine Department of Marine Resources agree about is that, yes, we are collecting more data with the money that they are thankful Congress gave to get better data points for how we can protect these whales, but since they are already working on what might follow that deadline in 2 years, they are unable to incorporate it into the work that is ongoing right now, hence the necessity of making some movement here in Congress on this issue today. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Westerman for the time to speak today and Congressman Lawler for partnering with me on this bill. This effort is critical for Maine, but its benefits will be shared by fishermen all along the Eastern Seaboard. This bill is about the future of a heritage industry and the working men and women who risk their lives on the ocean to put nutritious seafood on our plates. It is also about protecting the working-class communities those men and women support. In my district, lobster fishing is the backbone of towns up and down the coast. In some towns, 20 to 40 percent of the residents hold a lobster license. In those towns, life as they know it would end without fishing. You can liken it--if you don't live on the coast--to what happens when a major mill shuts down and a town is decimated. For them what is at stake is the continuation of a way of life that is generations deep or the loss of it. Without it, they know what to expect. All they have to do is cast their eye elsewhere, southward on the East Coast to former fishing communities that have been turned into investment opportunities for people looking for some prime coastal front property to buy and some locals that they would love to employ to work for pennies on the dollar in service to them, in service to people from away. The Maine lobster industry currently supports roughly 18,000 jobs and it generates hundreds of millions in tax revenue to support schools, infrastructure investments, and State and local services for Mainers. It is already getting harder and harder to make a living on the water without adding onerous new regulations to satisfy the nearly insatiable appetite of environmental law firms. It is a sad state of affairs that these firms treat every whale death as an opportunity to bring a lawsuit against fishermen that lines their own pockets, provides for their own living, no matter what the cause of that whale death was. It could have nothing to do with fishermen. You can bet they are going to bring a lawsuit. They are doing it backed by money from people who love to eat seafood but apparently think they can have it without fishermen. Now, there are some who want to say this bill presents us with a false choice between our fishermen and protecting an endangered species, the North Atlantic right whale. The truth is we can do both, and here is how I know that. Maine fishermen are already doing it. They have been good stewards of marine resources and marine life and leaders in the conservation and protection of the North Atlantic right whale. Over the past 20 years, Maine lobstermen have made effective and costly changes to fishing practices to reduce the risk of entanglements. They have removed many vertical lines from the water by putting more traps on each trawl, despite the fact that it makes fishing less safe for themselves. They have added breakaways at surface buoys and along inlines to ensure that if a whale or any other marine animal is caught in those traps that the line will break. They have made the switch to sinking ground lines and limited the diameter of vertical lines. This is just a few highlights because they have done much more. These practices already exist under the status quo regulatory framework, and they work. From 2009 to 2018, the number of annual serious injuries or deaths to North Atlantic right whales attributed to entanglements from American fishing gear was 0.2. I will repeat that: 0.2. Our efforts are already working. Yet, somehow, these fishermen face the threat of crushing new regulations over and over and over again. When we enacted this moratorium in 2022, Maine fishermen were at risk of being put out of business by these new regulations and closures that would have spelled doom for Maine's coastal communities. Maine's lobster fishery is unique. Unlike other fisheries that are dominated by bigger types of fisheries and fishing operations, Maine fisheries, Maine fishermen, is a fleet made up of owner-operated vessels, holding licenses that are passed down through generations. Had the proposed requirements been implemented back then, many, if not most of them, would not have been able to keep going. Congress wisely put a pause on that and devoted Federal funds to monitor, collect data, and to come up with new best practices to protect fishermen and whales alike. This year, Maine's Department of Marine Resources told Congress, in no uncertain terms, that the data it collected cannot be incorporated into NOAA's rulemaking on the 2028 timeline and current law. Congress funded this science. Why would we not give State and Federal agencies the time necessary to make good use of it? This bill does not weaken protections for the North Atlantic right whale. It preserves the current effective regulatory framework until 2035. With that in mind, I urge you to see this legislation for what it is. It is an opportunity to protect hardworking people and our marine resources' economy, pure and simple. To do so without taking away any existing regulations whatsoever, you have an opportunity to have your lobster and eat it too.

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hoyle).

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Dexter).

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The Protect America's Workforce Act would overturn President Trump's executive order from March that ended collective bargaining rights for roughly 1 million Americans who work for the Federal Government. Since the order was made, the administration has ripped up more than 700,000 union contracts. The order was the largest act of union busting in American history, and it left our Federal workforce more vulnerable to unfair treatment and political interference. I am proud that since introducing this bill, it has won the support of 226 of my colleagues in this Chamber. This majority includes Democrats and Republicans who recognize that collective bargaining is not a partisan issue. It is about fairness, dignity on the job, and a voice in the workplace. In his order, President Trump said ending collective bargaining was about protecting our national defense, but in my district and many others, affected workers build our warships and care for our veterans. These workers make our country safer and stronger every single day. America didn't vote to silence these workers, but this bill gives all of us a chance to restore their voices. Every one of us in this body was sent here by our constituents to represent their voice in Congress. While the majority leadership has broad prerogative to set the calendar and control the flow of legislation, no one here believes they should have absolute power to determine which bills see the light of day and which don't. The discharge petition process exists to give Members of Congress some agency. It is a release valve to ensure that good bills with broad support cannot be held up forever by a leadership team. It gives us a fair shot at building a coalition to do the people's work and get an up-or-down vote on the floor. That is exactly how my colleagues and I have spent the past several months. We have built a bipartisan coalition representing a majority of the House in support of this bill and done the work to bring it to the floor. I know that none of us ran for office with the vision of governing by discharge petition. Most of us long for the return of regular order where bills are assessed in committee, seriously debated, and given a vote. However, here we are. As it stands, we must use every tool available to do the people's work. I am grateful to my eight Republican colleagues who cosponsored the bill, led by my friend Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, and to the five Republicans who signed the discharge petition to ensure that this Chamber would hold this vote. If the majority we built over the past few months sticks together, we can overturn this union-busting executive order, and we can show America that this body will protect workers' rights. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the rule. Let these workers have their day on the House floor. Give them an up-or-down vote. They deserve that much. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Speaker, during consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purposes of debate only. General Leave

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I support this motion, and I encourage my colleagues, including the 226 Members of this Chamber who cosponsored the bill and the 218 of them who signed the discharge petition, to support the motion. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I rise to make a motion to discharge H.R. 2550, the Protect America's Workforce Act. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 2 of rule XV, I call up the motion to discharge previously noticed.

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. I did, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 2(c) of rule XV, I rise to provide notice of my intent to offer a motion to discharge the Committee on Rules from further consideration of H. Res. 432.

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Speaker, in small-town gyms across Maine, winter evenings are marked by two familiar things: the sound of sneakers on hardwood and the voice of a coach emphasizing the fundamentals. For twenty-two years in Winthrop, Maine that voice belonged to Coach Dave Poulin. A local celebrity in his own right, Coach Poulin taught generations of young men the value of working hard, and working together, to bring out the best in one another--on and off the court. In addition to coaching hundreds, he also taught social studies to thousands at Winthrop High School from 1973 to 2019. Coach Poulin's induction into the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame is a testament to that public service. On the court, Coach Poulin's teams were reliable in a way that is rare in high school sports: twenty-one tourney runs in twenty-two seasons and multiple state titles to show for it. That record speaks to skill, but it speaks even more to what Coach Poulin inspired in his athletes--a sense of responsibility to one another, to their community, and ultimately to something greater than themselves. That's why I know this is as much an honor for Coach Poulin as it is for the community of Winthrop. His former players, students, and colleagues are a credit to him--and it is my hope that they have been able to celebrate this great achievement alongside Coach Poulin. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring public servant, leader, and Maine's newest Hall of Famer, Coach Dave Poulin.

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life of Paul Roger Dionne, who passed away on April 17, 2025. A pillar of the Lewiston community, Paul spent his life in service to others. As a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, Paul earned two Bronze Stars and two Vietnamese Crosses of Gallantry. After returning home, Paul met his best friend and soulmate, Diane (LeBlanc), and they married in 1970. Together, they built a home and raised two daughters, Melodie and Michelle, and later welcomed five grandchildren. In addition to Paul's service to his country, he also served the people of Maine. Leading his community as Assistant District Attorney and as Mayor of Lewiston, Paul was instrumental in bringing the University of Maine system to Lewiston (UMLA). Later in his career, Paul was appointed Maine's first Executive Director of the Workers' Compensation Board, serving under Governors King and Baldacci. In this role Paul fought for workers' rights and is remembered for his compassion and tact. However, Paul's greatest impact was on his beloved community of Lewiston. A staple at every community event, Paul was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, led the Central Maine Medical Center Board of Trustees, and earned recognition as one of Lewiston's Citizens of the Year. Additionally, Paul coached hundreds of students on the Lewiston High School Mock Trial Team, which he did proudly alongside his daughter. Remembered by many for his big smile, and his love for one another, he lifted up his community. Mr. Speaker, for these reasons, I am honored to pay tribute to Paul Dionne.

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 25th Anniversary of the Maine Island Institute's Fellows Program. Through their dedication and commitment, these Fellows have helped our communities thrive by supporting local priorities such as expanding broadband access and affordable housing, facilitating clean energy transitions and education initiatives, strengthening community resilience efforts, and enhancing our quality of life by providing technical assistance and support to critical projects. This highly valued program has successfully engaged volunteers, connected communities to resources, and supported the development of Maine's future leaders. Since the program's creation, 148 Island Institute Fellows have provided over 492,500 hours of much-needed added capacity to municipalities, school systems, and community organizations. Their contributions are felt more acutely given that 75 percent of Maine's coastal communities have fewer than 3,500 people, and 25 percent have fewer than 800 people. We know that every leader to these communities wears multiple hats, which makes Island Institute Fellows an essential asset by providing the ability to write a grant, facilitate community planning, preserve historical documents, or train volunteers. Maine's small island and coastal communities understand the challenges and opportunities they must navigate and often need human capacity and technical resources to address their priorities. With more than forty years of community development experience, the Island Institute works with these communities to recruit Fellows, facilitate the community-to-Fellow match, and provide the management framework for this highly regarded program. By providing housing, pay, and benefits, the program decreases barriers to access and supports a strong and diverse pool of talent to tackle community challenges and opportunities. The benefits of the Island Institute Fellows program extend into the fabric of the larger community and into Maine. The two-year program means that Fellows also become integral members of the communities they serve--from helping to plan potlucks or coaching sports teams to being members of the town's Emergency Medical Services. As a state with an aging population, it is notable that half of Island Institute Fellows choose to stay in Maine, filling a critical need for talent and commitment to the community well after the fellowship ends. I want to congratulate the Island Institute for their dedication and service to the people of Maine and wish them continued success with the Fellows program into the future.

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate the Job Corps program on 60 years of dedicated support in changing the lives of young Americans. 2024 marks six decades of ambition and hope for our young Mainers at the centers in Limestone and Bangor, and throughout the United States of America. Maine's Job Corps programs are vital for preparing young people in the Great State of Maine for high demand industry sector employment as well as furthering educational opportunities. I join my congressional colleagues in honoring and supporting their mission to better the lives of Mainers through technical and academic training. Since the first class of students in 1997, the Loring Job Corps Center in Limestone has helped students from Maine and across the Nation earn high school diplomas, construct long-term careers, and obtain great jobs. The Penobscot Job Corps has maintained the same mission for the past 45 years. Education and community service alike are two of the cornerstones of both Job Corps Centers in Maine, resulting in the students not only changing their lives but the lives of those around them. The program's outreach and development with workforce partners has only enhanced its ability to reach out and enrich the lives of young Mainers. The Job Corps program encourages the vital education and creativity of bright young students throughout our country. It is with great pride and appreciation that I congratulate our two Maine Centers and Job Corps for 60 years of critical work.

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give my sincerest congratulations to Major General Douglas Farnham on his retirement following 40 years of service in the United States Air Force. On behalf of the people of Maine and our Nation, I thank him for his dedicated service, and extend congratulations on his retirement. Major General Farnham graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1984 and began his first assignment as a student in undergraduate pilot training at Vance Air Force Base. He then served as an instructor and flight examiner in the C-21A Learjet and as the primary pilot for the Commander of the United States Space Command. Major General Farnham joined the Maine Air National Guard in 1991 and served in various command and operations positions in the 101st Air Refueling Wing in Bangor through 2012. In 2013, he briefly left Bangor to deploy to Qatar as United States Central Command Deputy Director of Mobility Forces. After his deployment, he returned to Bangor as Commander of the 101st Air Refueling Wing from 2012 to 2016. In 2016, Major General Farnham was appointed as Adjutant General of the Maine National Guard. In this position. he served as Commissioner for the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, managing the Maine Army and Air National Guard, Maine Veterans' Services, and Maine Emergency Management Agency. Major General Farnham's commitment and dedication to the safety and well-being of this country is clear from his dozens of military awards and recognitions, including a Legion of Merit, a Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, a Combat Readiness medal with two oak leaf clusters, and countless others he received throughout his military career for his leadership and service to the country. It is my honor to congratulate Major General Farnham on his well- deserved retirement. I thank Major General Farnham for his 40 years of dedicated service to our country.

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Madam Speaker, last Wednesday night, a terrible tragedy befell my hometown of Lewiston. The following is a reading from the daily devotional, ``Streams in the Desert'' from October 25. ``Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.'' John 16:24. During the Civil War, a man had an only son who enlisted in the armies of the Union. The father was a banker and, although he consented to his son's going, it seemed as if it would break his heart to let him go. He became deeply interested in the soldier boys, and whenever he saw a uniform, his heart went out as he thought of his own dear boy. He spent his time, neglected his business, and gave his money to caring for the soldiers who came home invalid. His friends remonstrated with him, saying he had no right to neglect his business and spend so much thought upon the soldiers, so he fully decided to give it all up. After he had come to this decision, there stepped into his bank one day a private soldier in a faded, worn uniform who showed in his face and hands the marks of the hospital. The poor fellow was fumbling in his pocket to get something or other, when the banker saw him and, perceiving his purpose, said to him: ``My dear fellow, I cannot do anything for you today. I am extremely busy. You will have to go to your headquarters; the officers there will look after you.'' Still the poor convalescent stood, not seeming to fully understand what was said to him. Still he fumbled in his pockets and, by and by, drew out a scrap of dirty paper on which there were a few lines written with a pencil, and laid the soiled sheet before the banker. On it he found these words: ``Dear father, this is one of my comrades who was wounded in the last fight and has been in the hospital. Please receive him as myself. Charlie.'' In a moment, all the resolutions of indifference which this man made flew away. He took the boy to his palatial home, put him in Charlie's room, gave him Charlie's seat at the table, kept him until food and rest and love had brought him back to health, and then sent him back again to imperil his life for the flag. ``Now you will see what I will do.'' Exodus 6:1. Madam Speaker, I ask for a moment of silence.

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Speaker, earlier today I regrettably entered my vote incorrectly for roll call No. 265, final passage of H.R. 277. I mistakenly voted yea when I intended to vote nay.

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Chair, as the designee of Ms. Perez, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chair, I rise to offer an amendment on behalf of Ms. Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington to ensure that the underlying bill does not risk the public health and safety of the American people in the future. Like many of my colleagues across the aisle, I support ending the COVID-19 vaccine requirement for international travelers at this time but doing so in the interest of our constituents' safety in mind, first and foremost. Today, this COVID-19 vaccine requirement for international travelers is no longer necessary. In fact, it has become an unnecessary barrier for visitors who would boost local economies and who want to visit with friends and family and reunite with loved ones. However, we should remember that at the beginning of the pandemic, this requirement served as an important protection for our constituents. It would be shortsighted to move to hamstring similar future actions, if necessary. That is why Ms. Gluesenkamp Perez and I support this amendment, which strikes the prohibition on successor or subsequent requirements for air travelers so that future administrations, whether they be Democrat or Republican, have the tools that they need to protect the American people. We are not here to subject the health and safety of our constituents to political whims here in Washington. Mr. Chair, I appreciate the opportunity to work with my colleague on this amendment, and I urge all of our colleagues to support it. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOLDEN

Mr. GOLDEN. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the amendment. I represent the largest district east of the Mississippi. It is the second most rural district in the country, and home to more than 53,000 veterans. The VA facilities that these veterans rely on--these are clinics in places like Houlton, Maine, Fort Kent, and Rumford--are at risk of being shut down if we don't permanently end the Asset and Infrastructure, or AIR Commission. Our VA hospital in Maine would be moved from Augusta. It would be downsized to an urgent care facility then be moved to Portland, Maine, which is a long distance away from most of the rural communities that I represent. Of course, Congress created this panel and tasked it with processing the recommendations given to streamline VA facilities. I think if you live in a rural State, it turns out that has largely been shorthand for closing facilities or reducing access to healthcare services. I introduced a bipartisan bill to eliminate the AIR Commission. Just about a month ago, I helped secure the language referred to earlier in the National Defense Authorization Act of that bill and, of course, I now support this amendment to defund the Commission and transfer the money to the VA's Healthcare for Homeless Veterans Program. It is a far better use of the money. I thank Mr. McGovern for his support of our Nation's veterans.

Mr. GOLDEN

Mr. GOLDEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a member of my staff, Will Woodworth, as he prepares to depart Capitol Hill after nearly ten years of service to take a position at the Department of Homeland Security. Will hails from Yarmouth, Maine and has been working on behalf of the people of our state for the better part of the last decade. He first entered Maine politics after graduating from college, joining the staff of then-Governor Angus King in his run for the U.S. Senate in 2012. He then joined Senator King's staff in Washington, handling constituent correspondence and advising the senator on issues like broadband and technology. In 2019, my office was lucky enough to convince Will to abandon the comforts of the Senate for the more rough-and-tumble nature of the House. In joining my team, Will took on a senior policy role, advising me on a wide range of issues, from my work on the House Small Business Committee to healthcare and economic policy. Despite the often insurmountable volume of work, Will has been a steady, dedicated, and thoughtful staffer who has helped me execute on key legislative priorities while also doing the time-intensive work of directly helping constituents across Maine's Second District understand my positions on policy issues and helping solve the problems they have faced with federal agencies. People like Will are what make this place run, and he represents the best of public service--quietly and steadily keeping the wheels of government working and never seeking attention or accolades for his efforts. Mainers have been fortunate to have had Will Woodworth on their side in Washington, as have I. We all wish him the very best on this next professional adventure and give him our profound thanks for his service to Maine and the country.