Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine( at a Meetig on aine Vet Homelessness at Hanaford Hall, USM, Portland, Earlier This Year.

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, today voiced her strong opposition to the latest attempt by House Republicans to slash critical resources from the American people with an extreme Continuing Resolution.  The stopgap measure, which would ony keep the government open until October 31, 2023, cuts the vast majority of domestic programs by some 30% across-the-board, including food assistance for women and childrlen, wildland fire suppression programs, Section 8 housing funds, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, critical biomedical research, and dozens of more vital investments.  LIHEAP, which is a lifeline for thousands of Mainers who need help heating their homes, would see a 74% cut.

“Right now, there is a bipartisan path to avoiding the widespread devastation that a Republican government shut down would cause, but Speaker McCarthy refuses to put forth any legislation that has Democratic support,” said Pingree.  “If passed, this extreme Continuing Resolution will wreak havoc on the ability of the federal government to function and damage communities in Maine and across the country.  It’s a non-starter.  Once again, this completely unserious resolution is nothing but political theater at the expense of Americans.”

In exchange for keeping the government open, House Republicans are:

Slashing investments in the National Institutes of Health (NIH); Furthering their goal of eliminating public education by cutting funding for Title 1, IDEA and Head Start; Decimating the low income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP); Failing to support communities recovering from national disasters; undercuttting our critical allies like Israel and Ukraine; Defunding law enforcement; Halting Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Operations including Air Traffic Controllers; Closing Social Service Administration Field Offices; Neglecting Our Water Infrastructure by Cutting Funds to the Army Corps of Engineers; Taking food out of the mouths of children, families and seniors; Raising the costs of food by threatening food safety and supply; Implementing unfair trade practices to boost China; Hindering wildfire suppression efforts; Turning their backs on America’s small businesses; Slashing resources for the 988 suicide & crisis lifeline; Upending public safety education and other investments in Tribal communities; Curtailing mineral and energy development impacting jobs and local economies; Cutting loans and grants for farmers and rural comunities; and Eliminating health care services for rural and underserved families.

“Why do you suppose the local daily newspaper doesn’t print this information,” asked this blogger.  “Because it is a very conservative chain that rarely publishes her material,” said Doug Anderson.