A Peaceful Transfer of Power

As we begin the 119th Congress, I want to take an opportunity to share some photographs I took at the inauguration ceremony last week. The peaceful transfer of power from one presidential administration to the next is a uniquely American privilege and one I do not take for granted. It's a moment when we mark down in time the decision of the American people and honor the very fragile democracy we are tasked with protecting.

Given the cold temperatures (something we are obviously accustomed to in Maine), the Inaugural Committee decided it would be safest for the President, guests and first responders if the ceremony was held indoors. That meant all three branches of government were in the same room and in close proximity. See above for a cool picture of former Presidents Bill Clinton, George Bush, and Barack Obama — in addition to the Supreme Court justices in the foreground — chatting together during the ceremony proceedings.

President Ronald Reagan once said that "...we are a united people pledged to maintaining a political system which guarantees individual liberty to a greater degree than any other," and it takes all of us to "...help in maintaining the continuity which is the bulwark of our Republic." And these ceremonial proceedings are evidence of that really cool experiment called American democracy.

And part of that democracy is making sure that the three equal branches of government continue to provide checks and balances on each other. As I am sure you have seen in the news, one of the very first orders of business for a new administration is the Senate confirmations of Cabinet-level nominees. And as a former governor, I feel strongly about giving the chief executive the chance to pick his or her cabinet. In fact, having intelligent, respectable, and competent advisors around me during my terms helped me govern and make decisions for Maine that were in the best interests of our community. President Trump should be no different — that’s why I supported 75 percent of his first-term nominees. But his advisors, and especially cabinet members, must be qualified and in support of the agency they are trying to represent. 

President Trump has a herculean task ahead of him the next four years: lower the cost of consumer goods, resolve several various armed conflicts across the Middle East, and reform border security to name a few. As an American, I wish him the best of luck and hope he has all the necessary tools to achieve success. And as your United States Senator, you better believe I will do my due diligence to ensure that everyone on the taxpayer payroll is working toward those goals — and consistent with our founding principles.

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Support for Bath Iron Works and Maine's Defense Industrial Base

For over six decades, Congress has set partisanship aside to ensure that America’s military and defense forces have the training, equipment, and resources to carry out their missions. I’m proud that we could continue the tradition this past year to pass the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to make our nation safer and stronger.

As our global community faces some of its greatest challenges, this bill makes important investments in our military’s greatest asset — its people. The legislation supports good-paying jobs and manufacturing in Maine, particularly through its funding for shipbuilding at Bath Iron Works and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. These funds will help the shipyards plan their futures, continue to build the highest-quality ships, and maintain the submarine fleet that our Navy needs to accomplish missions across the globe.

There are many more important provisions in this legislation — including a long-overdue brain injury monitoring program, resources to fight the opioid epidemic, and methods to deter Chinese and Russian aggression. All told, this year’s NDAA will make our country safer, strengthen our economy, and support the health and well-being of the men and women who fight for our freedoms.

Included below are a few specifics on the great things coming to Maine, but the full list can be found here.

• Included in the NDAA are a majority of the components of my Blast Overpressure Safety Act that I introduced with several colleagues to protect servicemembers from blast exposure and address traumatic brain injuries, which is considered the “signature wound” of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill also includes funding for the Special Operations Brain Health and Trauma Program.
• The bill includes a provision I proposed that requires the Defense Department to update its annual suicide prevention report through 2031 and include information about the job specialty of suicide victims. 
• This legislation addresses modernizing Pratt & Whitney’s important contribution in North Berwick to building F-35 engines. This legislation aids University of Maine-driven research and development in soil stabilization and infrastructure resiliency, textile developments, and digital manufacturing. It also strengthens Maine’s leadership in the production of tungsten alloys and the importance of Defense Industrial Alliances such as the Maine Defense Industrial Alliance.
• The bill includes important provisions protecting the environment, authorizing a total of $343M for Navy environmental restoration, which would go towards cleanup across multiple former naval installations, including the former Brunswick Naval Air Station.

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Remembering Former President Jimmy Carter

President Carter led a life of incredible service, putting country over party and politics. From his early days as a sailor with the United States Navy to the White House, President Carter personified our true American values. 

He was compassionate, unapologetic in his convictions, and forward-thinking — calling out racial discrimination as Governor of Georgia, negotiating the Camp David Accords, and dedicating his post-presidential career to community service. Jimmy Carter’s extraordinary life story epitomized the American Dream and proved that any one of us can go from humble beginnings to President of the United States and human rights champion for the world. Now that’s a legacy to be proud of. 

May the Carter family, and his beloved Georgia community, continue to find peace and comfort during these difficult times.

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Giving Back to Those Who Served

America’s veterans have sacrificed and fought for our freedoms and values. We owe our way of life to these brave men and we have a duty to to ensure they receive their hard earned benefits long after they hang up their uniform.

Unfortunately, the federal hiring freeze enacted by the new Administration could mean catastrophic consequences for veterans all across Maine. Our veterans deserve access to the best quality health care, the benefits they earned, and someone to answer the phone when they call for help. I'm worried that this hiring freeze will have harmful impacts on the VA and its ability to continue providing critical services to our veterans

So I wrote a letter to the White House expressing my concerns and urging President Trump to consider designating all VA positions as essential. This would ensure our veterans can continue to access the health care and benefits they deserve. No veteran in Maine gets left behind.

I also want to make sure we're protecting our veterans' GI Bill education benefits. For decades, these benefits have helped create a pathway to higher education for themselves and their dependents. However, a current loophole is adversely impacting those who received a Purple Heart after leaving the service. Currently, these veterans are unable to transfer their education benefits to their loved ones the same way that people who receive the Purple Heart in active duty can transfer their benefits. The bipartisan Purple Heart Veterans Education Act would close this loophole and level the playing field for all Purple Heart families. This simple fix builds on the promise we made to our servicemembers that we would return the same service they so selflessly gave to our nation.

And on that note of giving back, Congress is overdue on one of its promises. I joined a group of my colleagues in writing to House Speaker Mike Johnson asking him to hold a Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony to commemorate the important role of the Six Triple Eight battalion that served during WWII. The battalion was the only all-Black, all-female battalion to serve overseas. These women were responsible for clearing out an overwhelming backlog of mail, making sure American troops received letters from back home to boost their morale.

The design and production of the Six Triple Eight medal has already been completed, all we need to do is schedule a ceremony.

Maine people and Americans from all walks of life have stood up to help protect and defend our nation. Over 80 years later, we are fortunate to still have two members of this battalion alive — and they deserve public appreciation for their brave actions. 

Whether serving in one of the World Wars or in one of the more recent conflicts in the Middle East, every American who volunteers to protect and defend our nation deserves our very best support in return.

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