Chellie Pingree

Ms. PINGREE

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, since the Republicans in Washington have not held a single public hearing on TrumpCare, I asked my constituents directly for feedback at a Maine healthcare townhall. Not one of the hundreds of constituents spoke in support of the legislation. Instead, many said they will be among the millions of Americans who will lose their coverage under this bill. One of those voices was Ed Saxby of Cape Elizabeth, pictured on the board next to me. Ed stood beside his wife and granddaughter as he bravely spoke about his own battle with cancer. He said that the odds of survival are against him because TrumpCare will take away the tax credits he needs to afford healthcare coverage as a retiree living on a fixed income. Ed's wife, Jill, asked me if those who are championing TrumpCare would be willing to trade places with those whom it will harm. I pose that question today to my Republican colleagues. If you can't answer in the affirmative, you should not be voting for this terrible bill.

Ms. PINGREE

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, the Affordable Care Act has saved thousands of Mainers from losing their lives or going bankrupt simply because they got sick. Quality of care has improved through preventative care, without cost sharing for consumers. Overall costs have been lowered. Republicans have had 7 years to come up with an alternative healthcare plan that preserves the progress we have made under the Affordable Care Act--one that would not take us back to a time when many without employer-sponsored insurance or a clean bill of health could get coverage. But after all this time, they have come up with a plan that will cost older Americans up to five times more than younger enrollees; will charge the uninsured 30 percent more to buy coverage; and it will defund, not defend, Planned Parenthood; cut Medicaid significantly; and still has no price tag. We owe it to Americans to have an open debate on this proposal, and I expect my Republican colleagues not to forget the millions of Americans for whom the Affordable Care Act has been a lifesaver. In January, I asked my constituents to share their Affordable Care Act stories. Within a few days, more than a thousand stories were submitted. Some shared their ongoing challenges. I agree there are opportunities to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and make it affordable, but the overwhelming number of people shared compelling stories of how the Affordable Care Act has improved their lives. I am honored to share a few of those powerful stories today, and I hope my Republican colleagues are listening. Eleanor from Belfast, Maine, said: ``I am a 63-year-old small-business owner who has health insurance for the first time in my adult life since passage of the Affordable Care Act. The same is true for my partner of 17 years. She was diagnosed with breast cancer this year and has recently undergone a mastectomy with follow-up care. After her diagnosis, I went for my first-ever mammogram.'' The Republican plan puts these preventive services at risk. Matthew from Brunswick, Maine, said: ``Five years ago, I left a comfortable job with good benefits to start my own business. Those first years were tough on my family. My wife and I were able to put our children on Maine's Dirigo Health, but we had to do without. . . . Today, through God's grace, hard work, and the support of my wife; my business is prospering. Food assistance is a thing of the past and we're actually contributing more in taxes now than we ever did before. We still have to watch what we spend but we're breathing a lot easier. Each year that I've made more money our subsidy has gone down, and that's just as it should be. That subsidy still matters though. If the ACA were eliminated today and I had to buy health insurance on the open market I'd be paying an extra $4,800 a year. That's real money.'' Under the Republican plan, small-business owners like Matthew may not be able to afford care for their family. Ret, a 9/11 first responder from Rockland, Maine, said: `` . . . The ACA means that as a self-employed resident of the state of Maine, I can actually acquire coverage with a pre-existing condition. After working search and rescue/recovery at Ground Zero in 2001, I developed a lung condition necessitating costly medication. Before the ACA, I was terrified of losing my job and losing health care because of my pre-existing condition.'' Under the Republican plan, those with preexisting conditions, like our 9/11 first responders, may not get affordable coverage. Elisabeth from Phippsburg, Maine, said: ``In 2014 . . . my husband died from early-onset Alzheimer's. I was 50 when my husband was diagnosed. Eventually I left the workforce to care for him . . . and, of course, lost my employer-provided health insurance at the same time. The ACA has provided me with options ever since then; options that I never had before its passage. In 2014 I had three joints replaced; life changing surgeries that restored my active lifestyle and removed chronic pain from my life. These were only possible because I was able to access health insurance as an individual, at a reasonable cost.'' The Republican plan for increasing costs for older Americans threatens people just like Elisabeth. These stories matter. These lives matter. We must all keep them in mind as we look to change the Affordable Care Act.

Ms. PINGREE

Ms. PINGREE. Madam Speaker, title X family planning services are an essential lifeline for Mainers who need access to high-quality preventive and reproductive care, from cancer screenings to STI testings, to birth control. The resolution we are debating today threatens access to these critical services. Every year, Maine's network of title X providers serves more than 22,000 individuals in nearly every county, including some of the most rural and underserved communities in our State. Sixty-five percent of last year's patients had outcomes that qualified them for free or reduced-cost services. Family planning health centers often end up being their patients' primary source of health care. Providers are trusted members of the community. The care they deliver is high quality, and often they are the only affordable local option. Without title X funds, thousands of women and men throughout Maine would struggle to access and afford alternative primary care. At a time when Republicans want to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement plan, it is more important than ever to preserve title X as a cornerstone of our safety-net healthcare system.

Ms. PINGREE

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call Vote 77 to H.J. Res 40 which took place on February 2, 2017, I was not present. It was my intention to vote No on that resolution.

Ms. PINGREE

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present and voting in the House of Representatives on February 13, 2017 due to weather conditions in my home state of Maine that prevented me from travel. If I had been present and voting, I would have voted Aye on Roll Call vote 86 and Aye on Roll Call vote 87 to H.R. 244 and H.R. 974 respectively.

Ms. PINGREE

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, just hours before President Trump's inauguration, I met a young woman in my district from Djibouti who was named Fozia. Fozia had worked with our military as an interpreter. She came to the United States for the freedom and safety she could not find in her home country; but as a Muslim and immigrant, the rhetoric she heard during the election had made her question whether she was welcome here. Since President Trump has issued his backdoor ban on Muslim immigrants and a halt on all refugees, I have thought of Fozia often as well as thousands of other refugees and asylees who have undergone arduous journeys and thorough vetting to make Maine their home. These good people have enriched our State in many ways--raising families and filling a vital need in our aging workforce. They live in New England cities with French names that were built by Irish laborers, reminders of the many generations of immigrants who came here for a better life and who helped make our country great. President Trump's order is likely unconstitutional, but without a doubt, it is un-American. This Congress is guilty of the same sin if we don't do everything in our power to stop it.

Ms. PINGREE

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a tireless advocate in my state who is retiring after nearly two decades of working to improve the lives of his fellow Mainers. In 1997, Rufus Sames began his 19-year career with the Maine Department of Labor, starting as a Claims Taker and ending as a Labor Program Specialist. Through it all, he has lifted the burdens of claimants, employers, and advocates with prompt help, good information, and a deep understanding of the stresses individuals and families face navigating the maze of benefits following job loss and transition. For years, whenever my staff has had a question about unemployment benefits in my state, Rufus was there to respond, often with a message sent in the wee hours of the morning when he arrived at his desk at the crack of dawn. He has been tireless, good-hearted, efficient, and effective, and will be missed immeasurably. Public servants like Rufus are unsung heroes. He has touched many lives with his can-do spirit and deep commitment to serving the people of Maine. I wish him all the best in his retirement and thank him wholeheartedly.

Ms. PINGREE

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Mr. Takano, for yielding. I want to thank Chairman Miller, and thank him on his retirement and his service to our Congress, and also thank Ranking Member Takano and Representative Roe for their work on this bill. I am grateful that the language from the Ruth Moore Act was included in this bill. It is an important step in making sure that the VA follows through on its promises to fairly treat our veterans. Mr. Speaker, almost every day I hear from another veteran who is the survivor of military sexual trauma, or MST. These are men and women of all ages, from every branch of the service. They include veterans from World War II to the war in Afghanistan and every era in between. Those assaults leave indelible marks on their lives in the form of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and so many other conditions. But despite some progress at the VA on their claims, too many are denied the disability benefits they have earned. I am glad the Defense Department and the VA increased training and prevention efforts around rape and harassment, but, let me be clear, the problem is not yet fixed. Survivors of sexual assault have been shamed and suffer continued harassment and recrimination. Far too many have been involuntarily discharged in retaliation for reporting sexual assault and harassment, meaning the survivor, not the perpetrator, has paid the price for this criminal behavior. Before I close, I would like to recognize a very brave woman, Ruth Moore, a Maine veteran, and my bill's namesake. Ruth fought for 23 years before she was finally given the benefits we owed her. There are thousands and thousands of Ruth Moores out there who have been fighting for their benefits for years, or even decades. We can and must do better. This issue is too important to ignore, and this provision ensures that the VA and survivors know that Congress is watching. I am so glad the language from my bill was included in the legislation. I thank the committee again.

Ms. PINGREE

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to acknowledge and honor the important work of the Maine Marine Trades Association. For five decades, this organization has educated boat builders and marine businesses in best practices, with particular focus on worker safety and the preservation of the natural resources upon which the industry and the people of Maine depend. Under Executive Director Susan Swanton's able leadership, the Maine Marine Trades Association has promoted growth and cooperation, influencing many aspects of the marine industry through job development and successful partnerships with the Maine Departments of Labor, Environmental Protection, and Marine Resources, as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and many other state and national organizations. Originally run completely by volunteers, the Maine Marine Trades Association maintains a strong tradition of volunteer participation. Such is the norm in my state. People pull together to get things done, and Maine's long and rich tradition of boating, fishing, and boat building is part of our rich heritage. Living on an island 12 miles off the coast of Maine, every ferry trip to or from the mainland takes me past pleasure craft, fishermen, boatyards, and marinas. And, with my District Congressional Office located on Portland Harbor's working waterfront, reminders of the economic and cultural impact of this industry surround me. I am proud of and grateful for the Maine Marine Trades Association's commitment not only to protecting and enhancing a way of life in Maine, but to promoting an important, time-honored means of making a living.

Ms. PINGREE

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sea Road School in Kennebunk, Maine for its selection as a 2016 National Blue Ribbon School. Every year, the Department of Education selects Blue Ribbon Schools from across the country to celebrate excellence in teaching and learning. Sea Road School is one of 329 public and private elementary, middle, and high schools honored in 2016, the culmination of a long process of nomination and application focused on its record of sustained student achievement. Sea Road School is an Exemplary High Performing School. The commitment that requires from the entire community cannot be overstated. But we also know that the true measure of a school is not based on test scores alone. It's in the devotion of educators, who endeavor to understand how each child learns best. It's in the willingness of students to discover their strengths and follow their passions. It's in the support and engagement of parents and community members who know the incalculable value of a strong start for our kids. Mr. Speaker, Sea Road School is a community dedicated to fostering scholarship and compassion in each child who walks through its doors, and I'm proud to see it so deservedly recognized on a national level. I commend Principal Stephen Marquis, Superintendent Kathryn Hawes, and all the educators, staff, parents, and students who have worked to build this success. Keep it up

Ms. PINGREE

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, I want to talk for a moment about Rob McCann. Rob came to our office in Maine a year ago as a fellow with the House Wounded Warrior Program. Just as he served our country in countless combat missions in Afghanistan, Rob is now serving Maine veterans as a congressional staffer. Last week, Rob represented our office at the retirement ceremony of an employee at Togus, our VA Hospital in Maine. The retiree's 92-year- old father, a World War II veteran, was there to participate in the ceremony. But moments before it ended, as they walked to a barbecue nearby, he collapsed from a heart attack. Rob leapt into action and put his Marine Corps training to work. With the help of a few other bystanders, he began administering CPR, which they continued until medical professionals from the hospital arrived. Thanks to Rob and the VA employees who jumped in to help, a World War II vet is alive and well and walking around today. I couldn't be more proud of the work that Rob does in our office every day, and I am especially proud of his quick response to save the life of a fellow veteran last week.

Ms. PINGREE

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Beyer) for yielding the time, and I also thank my colleague from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for speaking in support of this as well. I rise today in support of H.R. 4245, a bill that will end the practice of export inspections for sea urchin, sea cucumbers, squid, and cuttlefish that are being shipped overseas as part of our Nation's fisheries and fish processing industry. At the outset, I want to thank Chairman Bishop, subcommittee Chairman Fleming, Ranking Member Grijalva, and my good friend from California, Ranking Member Huffman, for their support and help in getting this bill through the committee and to the House floor today. I want to recognize my friend and colleague from Maine (Mr. Poliquin) who has been an original cosponsor of this bill and a tireless supporter of this effort. To better understand this bill, I would like to tell you a little bit about the sea urchin industry in Maine, which is a critical part of our marine economy. Second only to California, the sea urchin industry in Maine brings over $5.4 million to our State every year and supports 600 jobs, which includes harvesters up and down our beautiful coast. Companies in Maine also process urchins that are harvested here, as well as those from Canada and Chile, before being exported overseas. In Japan and other parts of Asia, urchins are a valuable delicacy, known in sushi restaurants as uni. They are also a delicacy here in the United States and are very highly regarded. Urchins imported to Maine from other countries are inspected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service upon entering the country. Relatively recently, the Fish and Wildlife Service has begun inspecting the products once again before leaving the country. The policy change ended a longtime exemption that urchins had received, an exemption that lobster and other shellfish continue to receive. Over 18 months ago, I started hearing from urchin processors in Maine who reported problems with this recent change. Sometimes the urchins sat in a hot warehouse in New York--usually at the JFK Airport--for days waiting for an inspection, possibly resulting in the loss of a very valuable and highly perishable product. Since these are such a perishable product, despite the harvesters' and processors' speedy work to get the urchins ready for shipment, once they reached the inspection point in New York, they often came to a halt. I immediately started working with the Fish and Wildlife Service to try and find a solution. Even though we haven't always seen eye to eye with the Fish and Wildlife Service, they have been very willing to hear our concerns, work with us on particular problems, and try to make things easier on our harvesters and processors. We had a very recent example. Last Friday afternoon, my office received a call from an urchin processor who had $50,000 worth of product soon to be sitting at the JFK Airport. The Fish and Wildlife Service had closed this Friday, meaning that the urchins would be left over a 3-day weekend. We were able to get it cleared, but it was a very close call. Stories like this make it clear that the only real solution is to get rid of this duplicative inspection, and this is what this bill would do. After working with the Fish and Wildlife Service, talking to urchin harvesters, and visiting a processing plant in my district, I firmly believe that these extra inspections are unnecessary. There is no reason why sea urchins should be treated differently than shellfish. These burdensome inspections create a great deal of risk for valuable exports and too much uncertainty for a job-creating industry. As communities on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts deal with challenges to commercial fishing and working waterfronts, it is critical that Congress do everything it can to support successful industries like sea urchins in Maine or squid and cuttlefish in California, Rhode Island, and other States. I am very proud to have introduced this bipartisan legislation, and I encourage my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. PINGREE

Ms. PINGREE. I thank the gentleman from Minnesota for yielding. Mr. Speaker, this bill is a complicated solution to a simple problem. Consumers do have the right to know what is in their food, but the problem is that, right now, when you pick up a box of cereal or a bag of rice in the grocery store, you don't know if you are buying something with GMO ingredients in it. The solution is simple: list GMO ingredients on the back of the package in the ingredient list in plain English. It is a solution that 64 other countries around the world have already adopted. Most of Europe, Japan, Russia, even China, all require a simple, on-package label that anyone can read. But this bill fails to take that obvious, simple step toward transparency. Instead, it calls for a QR code on the label, which would require a smartphone and a special app and a good cell signal to translate. A complicated solution to a simple problem. To be clear, knowing what is in the package does not determine the safety or health of GMO ingredients. It is about the consumers' right to know so they can make that decision for themselves. I am voting against this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Ms. PINGREE

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the accomplishments of one of my constituents, Floyd Hastings, who has spent countless hours volunteering with the Southern Maine Agency on Aging's Vet to Vet program. Mr. Hastings has received a Myra H. Kraft Community MVP Award from the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation for his work with Vet to Vet, along with a check for $10,000 for the program. Hastings was one of 26 MVP recipients; a record number of 450 volunteers throughout New England were nominated for the awards this year. Vet to Vet volunteers, who are all veterans themselves, visit aging or disabled veterans in their homes at least twice a month. The volunteers provide companionship to the veterans they visit and often become close friends. Hastings has worked specifically with three veterans and currently spends several hours each week talking with a group of veterans at the Sam L. Cohen Center in Biddeford. ``Vet to Vet is one of the best things I have ever been involved in,'' Hastings said. ``It is rewarding and helps give meaning to my life. The program enables veteran volunteers, like myself, to enrich the lives of veterans, often severely disabled, in their final days. My visits are the highlight of my week, and I have found this to be true for the veterans I visit.'' Mr. Speaker, I truly admire Mr. Hastings for his incredible service and dedication, and would like to thank him wholeheartedly for the difference he has made in the lives of Maine veterans.

Ms. PINGREE

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee).

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I am very happy to support this amendment, and I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia for yielding time and for his commitment to this issue and the preservation of the Endangered Species Act. There are many of us in Congress concerned about the continual assault that is being waged against the ESA. On an appropriations bill, and particularly the one before us today, we see attempts to reduce the scope of the Endangered Species Act and to continue to weaken its protections. We must continue to work with the Fish and Wildlife Service to make sure they are hearing from all stakeholders and taking their concerns seriously. But that does not mean we get rid of the ESA. We have so many strong examples of how the Endangered Species Act works and worked over the past 40 years. One of my favorites that my colleagues often hear me speak of is the success of the bald eagle and the fact that it now thrives in Maine, where it was once endangered. Where they were only once 30 nesting pairs in Maine, now there are over 630 nesting pairs of bald eagles in Maine. There are so money other success stories, from the peregrine falcon to the brown pelican to the sea otter. All of these success stories were based on sound science and local input through the Fish and Wildlife Service. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Tsongas).

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Kilmer), also a member of the subcommittee.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I certainly appreciate my colleague from New York suggesting that he is very much in favor of the balance between conservation and supporting our commercial fishermen. Being from the State of Maine, we certainly look at both of those things. I will look forward to working with him, but I do think this amendment is an attack on our national monument Antiquities Act policies, and it should be recognized as that. I do understand his concern about the inclusion of groups and the importance of a public input process. In New England, we take that very seriously. I agree with him that there is a vital need in the monument designation process for local voices to be heard, but the way to ensure that that occurs is not by an amendment that would stop monument designations in their tracks, and it is certainly not by stopping monument designation powers in the entire exclusive economic zone, the EEZ area. Today we should be talking about the importance of public input in the monument process, about the importance of an open and transparent process that uses common sense. Instead, we are debating an amendment that sends the wrong message about this important conservation tool for our oceans. I urge my colleagues to oppose this attempt to stop local coordination, collaboration, and information sharing. I do hope that the gentleman from New York and I and the other people who represent coastal communities can find a way to balance conservation and our fishing industries and work together on that. For now, I oppose the Zeldin amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.

Ms. PINGREE

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague from Rhode Island for once again describing what is a very important policy. I have to disagree with my colleague from Alabama (Mr. Byrne). I do not think that this is Federal top-down. In fact, I think this is better decisionmaking, bottoms-up, not top-down. It gives opportunities for local communities to have an input. I want to unequivocally state that we spend no money on ocean planning. The NOP does not create any Federal regulations or supersede any local or State regulations. But what it does do is it leverages taxpayer dollars to reduce duplication between Federal, State and local agencies, to streamline data collection, and to strengthen public involvement. That is exactly what we want to have happen in our coastal communities. Our oceans and coasts support 3 million ocean-related jobs, generate $360 billion through tourism, development, commercial fishing, recreational fishing, boating, energy, shipping, and other activities. This is a very effective planning tool to reconcile and coordinate those activities. It does not prevent them. And just in closing, I will say that my colleague from Alabama may look at this one way, but I represent the State of Maine, which has a tremendous amount of coastline. I represent about half the coastline off the coast of Maine, and I have also represented many coastal communities prior to coming to Congress as a State legislator. I live on an island. I take a ferry for 1 hour to get home, unlike virtually any other Member of Congress. Everybody in my community is dependent on the ocean. Every island I represent is dependent on the ocean. Every coastal community has to have a working waterfront, fishermen. It has to have tourism, fishing, all of them working together. I don't think that in the State of Maine we don't understand ocean planning. We know our oceans are desperately troubled. They are in danger. They need our attention, and Congress has to pay attention to that. We can't do this in a haphazard way. We have to have it coordinated. So I ask my colleagues to oppose this rider, as we have many, many times, and to support National Ocean Policy. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. PINGREE

Ms. PINGREE. Madam Chair, I just want to reiterate again, this bill has already severely cut the EPA's main operating account by $92 million. Already tonight, amendments have cut it another $29 million. This agency is fundamental. The protection that they do is critical. This account funds programs that are important to us on both sides of the aisle. No one disagrees that it is important to fund the disastrous wildfires that have taken over in our country, and we very much understand those challenges, but this amendment is irresponsible. I urge my colleagues to oppose it. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.