
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) at a Meetig on Maine Vet Homelessness at Hanaford Hall, USM, Portland, Several Years Ago.
Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Sarah McBride (D-Del) led more than 80 of their House colleagues in calling on the Trump-Vance administration to reverse its abrupt and harmful decision to eliminate federal funding for Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) centers in ten states – including Maine.
In a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutick and Acting Under Secretary Craig Burkhardt, Pingree and her colleagues pressed the administration to restore MEP funding that Congress already authorized and appropriated. These centers provide small and mid-sized manufacturers with the tools they need to moderize, grow and compete in a global economy — supporting good-payig jobs and local economies across the country.
“Given the Trump Administration’s goals to revive and advance American manufacturing, we believe funding MEP centers remains essential. If we want to build at home, we must equip Amerian manufacturers of all sizes with the tools, funding and technology to compete and thrive,” Pingree and her colleagues wrote.
“Simply put, to manufacture at home we must support Aerican manufacturers. Denying American workers and small businesses from the resources they need to develop their talents, modernize their operations and grow their business is counterproductive,” the lawmakers continued. “At a time when we must harness the power of technology to be effective and competitive producers, we must continue to fund MEPs and provide American businesses with the tools they need. We call on the Admnistration to reverse course, renew funding for the ten MEP centers that lapsed April 1 and continue to support the MEP program to advance American manufacturing.”
The Maine MEP has a direct and powerful impact on Maine’s economy. In 2024 alone, Maine MEP supported $60.5 million in new investments, generated $95.5 million in new and retained sales and helped create and retain more than 1,100 manufacturing jobs. Eliminating federal funding and access to the national MEP network threatens Maine MEP’s ability to continue delivering these critical services.