The Office of Personnel Management + Merit Systems Protection Board are proposing a rule that would weaken civil service protections—including for more than 8,000 workers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS). Sen. King and I joined the NH delegation in calling on OPM + MSPB to rescind this rule.

King, Pingree push back on rule that would affect Portsmouth Naval Shipyard workers

The 2 Maine lawmakers joined New Hampshire's congressional delegation in criticizing a proposal that would shorten misconduct and performance reviews for federal workers as a threat to national securi...

pressherald.com

What Trump did to the Kennedy Center—slapping his name on it, throwing it into chaos—is a preview of what he's trying to do with the Smithsonian. It's about control. He wants to turn these institutions into propaganda machines, rewriting history and erasing anything he thinks is “too divisive."

First the Admin made massive cuts to the NPS. Now Trump is using our parks to bankroll his vanity projects—to the tune of $75 million so far. The NPS has a project backlog of $24 BILLION. But Trump cares more about building monuments to his ego. People need HEALTH CARE + FOOD. Not gilded horses!

Head Start has served 30+ million kids, including tens of thousands in Maine. It’s had bipartisan support. The Admin wants to kill it. After failing to freeze funding, their new plan is to lower standards for curricula, medical screenings, and more—so fewer kids get the care + education they need.

Trump Administration Plans to Upend Head Start by Deregulating It

The White House tried but failed to block funding for preschool for poor children. Instead, it will seek to strip away standards on health, literacy — and brushing teeth.

nytimes.com

Starting now! 👇

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree@pingree.house.gov · yesterday

Tune in live TODAY @ 1 pm for my conversation with @heathercoxrichardson.skystack.xyz We’ll discuss how Trump is trying to seize control of our arts, culture, + history—from the Kennedy Center and Smithsonian to the NEA and NEH—and how Congress can fight back by reasserting its power of the purse.

Tune in live TODAY @ 1 pm for my conversation with @heathercoxrichardson.skystack.xyz We’ll discuss how Trump is trying to seize control of our arts, culture, + history—from the Kennedy Center and Smithsonian to the NEA and NEH—and how Congress can fight back by reasserting its power of the purse.

Representative Chellie Pingree | American Conversations

YouTube video by Heather Cox Richardson

youtube.com

I delivered all 3 of my kids at hospitals that no longer provide labor and delivery care. Maine has lost 10 birthing units in just the past decade. While I appreciate the challenges hospitals like Lincoln face, closing this unit would be devastating for patients, workers, and Midcoast communities.

Dozens rally in Portland ahead of MaineHealth board vote on closure of birthing unit in Damariscotta

MaineHealth says it's considering the closure because of staffing challenges and low birth rates.

mainepublic.org

In Congress, Lee Zeldin was part of the bipartisan PFAS Task Force. Now, he's rejecting science, dodging basic questions, and abandoning farmers whose lives have been destroyed by PFAS contamination. Kudos to Lisa Fletcher for refusing to let him change the subject and holding his feet to the fire.

Back in 2021, I raised serious concerns about ICE moving into this facility in Scarborough—including the lack of community input. While it may be symbolic, the town's proclamation sends a strong message. The public deserves to know who’s working there, what they’re doing, and how they’re doing it.

On this day 61 years ago, Medicare and Medicaid became law. These programs have saved lives, driven innovation, and ensured that older adults, people with disabilities, and low-income families can access the care they need. Trump and Republicans want to destroy both. We will NOT let them win.

I want to thank the Scarborough Town Council for voting to demand stronger oversight of its ICE facility—and the many citizens who came out to demand accountability. For far too long, ICE has operated with impunity, terrorizing people and communities in service of Trump’s cruel immigration agenda.

Scarborough calls on Congress to investigate activities at local ICE facility • Maine Morning Star

Members of the Scarborough Town Council voted Wednesday to pass a proclamation calling on Maine’s congressional delegation to look into the operations of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement p...

mainemorningstar.com

Tonight, the Scarborough Town Council will hold a meeting to take up a proclamation calling for a federal review of town's ICE facility—which has become a symbol of fear and uncertainty. I sent the Council a letter today, and completely agree: DHS must undertake a serious review of this facility.

Pingree Backs Scarborough Town Council's Call for Federal Review of ICE Facility

pingree.house.gov

When a judge ordered Trump to remove his name from the Kennedy Center, I hoped it might be the end of his ridiculous obsession. Apparently, his cronies are working on a plan to "put his mark all over it.” Valentino runway shows? A marina for yachts? Fancy restaurants? Are you f-ing kidding me?

Trump Lieutenant Spills His Horrific Kennedy Center Plan

The current defilement of the capital’s premier institution is only the beginning of the Trump team’s plans for the center, our must-read guide to D.C. underbelly has learned.

thedailybeast.com

Multiple reports of domestic violence. Accusations of racism. A failed attempt to bypass Maine's police training requirements. A long history of combative behavior. Local law enforcement looked at David Brouillette and saw "too many red flags" to hire him. Not too many for ICE, apparently.

ICE agent in Biddeford shooting had ‘too many red flags’ to become local cop

Reports that David Brouillette shot and killed a man while working for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have pushed concerns about his past into a national spotlight.

bangordailynews.com

I'll never forget what I saw inside Dilley during my oversight visit this spring. Children are being treated like criminals and subjected to needless trauma. That's why I joined 110 House Democrats in demanding that the Trump Admin #ShutDownDilley, end family detention, and free the children.

More than 300,000 Haitians lost their TPS today. ICE is preparing to deport as many of them as possible.   The Admin claims Haiti's conditions have improved enough for TPS holders to return safely. Yet the State Department maintains a "Do Not Travel" advisory for the country.   It's unconscionable.

ICE planning to increase deportations as temporary protected status ends for Haitians

The Supreme Court ruled in late June that the Trump administration could continue with its plan to strip temporary protected status from about 350,000 Haitians.

nbcnews.com

Maine imports more than $5B in goods from Canada each year. They’re by far our biggest international trade partner. If Trump’s reckless tariffs go into effect, it could make a whole lot of things more expensive, from wine to hockey gear. The impacts on wood products could be especially disastrous.

​Trump's new 50% Canada tariff could shake Maine businesses

President Donald Trump on Monday ordered new trade deal-exempt tariffs on a range of Canadian products, to take effect next month.

pressherald.com

Rewriting Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act—behind closed doors, on a rushed timeline, and without meaningful input from states, Tribes, preservation experts, or the public—is beyond reckless. This will dramatically weaken one of our most important historic preservation laws.

Trump officials vote to rewrite historic preservation rules, in boon for arch

The president’s plan to build a 250-foot triumphal arch has been bound up in reviews under the law, known as Section 106.

washingtonpost.com

🧵 It was bad enough that the Admin illegally cancelled $7.5 billion in DOE grants for clean-energy projects—including in Maine. That they based their cuts purely on politics—targeting states with Democratic governors, or that voted for Kamala Harris—is outrageous. This is an huge scandal. (1/5)

Trump Administration Admits Canceling Grants to States That Did Not Vote for Him

Federal officials said in court documents that they halted billions of dollars in funding for energy projects to states “based solely” on whether they backed President Trump in the 2024 election.

nytimes.com

Please join me on MS NOW 10a-1p w/ @pingree.house.gov @erikaandiola.bsky.social @johnjharwood.bsky.social @baylisswagner.bsky.social @byemmadavis.bsky.social @lawyeroyer.com @jasonselvig.bsky.social V Spehar #Connect 1/2

Trump’s argument for starting a war with Iran was about not allowing a dangerous regime to get nukes. Now he wants to let Saudi Arabia—an oppressive country that’s committed innumerable human rights abuses and produced most of the 9/11 hijackers—to have access to those same technologies? Batshit.

U.S. signs nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia that gives it path to enriching fuel

The agreement with a kingdom signaling it wants a nuclear weapon has sparked alarm among nonproliferation experts. Congress has 90 days to act on the deal.

washingtonpost.com

On Wednesday, DoD's website showed 18 U.S. troops had lost their lives during the war in Iran. The next day, it was down to 14. Why? Because four of the deaths happened “after President Trump declared a ceasefire in April.” Dismissing these tragic deaths in such a cold, callous way is disgusting.

Number of U.S. Troop Deaths in Iran War Appears Lower on Pentagon Website (Gift Article)

Three military officials and a Pentagon spokesman gave conflicting explanations for why the number of Americans killed in the Iran war had changed.

nytimes.com

Johan Sebastian Guerrero wanted a better life for his family. Like generations before him—my grandparents and so many others—he came here in search of the American dream. He worked. Paid taxes. No criminal record. He was doing everything Republicans say he was supposed to. ICE killed him anyway.

For our last session week before recess, Republicans passed: 🚨 Another $75B for Trump’s awful war 🚨 A record $1.15 TRILLION for the Pentagon 🚨 More voter suppression (snuck into unrelated bills), including attacks on mail voting This Republican Congress is one of the most destructive in history.

Says the guy who: 👎 Gave tax breaks to billionaires 👎 Slashed health care and food benefits for millions 👎 Implemented crippling tariffs 👎 Started an illegal war with Iran 👎 Has made $2 billion since returning to office

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 2w ago

Trump: "It was a word made up by the Democrats -- 'affordability'"

“You should all have your f***ing throat cut.” Trump’s DHS gave someone like this a badge and a gun. Republicans handed ICE virtually unlimited funding, and DHS still couldn’t be bothered to properly vet or train its agents. ICE is the public safety threat here.

I’ve cosponsored several bills that would ban members from trading stocks. Republicans have refused to bring a single one to the floor. Now they're pushing an "insider trading" bill that doesn't even ban stock trading—but DOES include voter suppression measures! I’m not falling for their bullshit.

Congressman Christian D. Menefee@menefee.house.gov · 2w ago

Republicans are bringing a so-called congressional stock trading ban to the floor, but it’s really a voter suppression bill in disguise. It protects insider trading while making it harder for Americans to vote.

The day after ICE killed Johan Guerrero, Secretary Mullin insisted the FBI would lead the investigation. Was that a lie? Because DHS is now telling FBI agents they won't be involved in investigating confrontations involving immigration agents... meaning ICE will be investigating itself. Insanity.

🧵 Raising tariffs on Canada to 50% is reckless, short-sighted, and will lead to more economic pain for families. Trump’s tariffs were already costing households $700 annually, are predicted to reduce long-term GDP by 6%, wages by 5%, and cost a mid-income household $22K over its lifetime. (1/5)

Trump to Impose 50% Tariff on Many Canadian Goods

The administration will use an untested legal provision to put significant duties on Canadian exports, reigniting a clash with one of America’s biggest trading partners.

nytimes.com

It’s amazing to see so many Mainers show their support for Johan and his family—and their anger over his senseless killing. Biddeford has a long history of welcoming immigrants, from French Canadians who came to work the mills, to families like Johan’s that have helped spark the city’s resurgence.