Welcome to my weekly rundown, the latest on what I’ve been working on for Mainers in the Second District:

Fighting Against the Proposed Closure of Maine Veterans Homes  in Caribou and Machias

Last week, Maine Veterans Homes (MVH) announced that they were planning to close their facilities in Machias and Caribou in the coming months. My colleagues and I in the Maine congressional delegation pushed back against this plan and pressed MVH to find alternatives. 

We plan to meet with MVH leadership this week to get more information and start looking for solutions. These closures stand to have a massive impact on veterans and their families in The County and Downeast, Mainers who have served our country bravely and selflessly. That’s why my colleagues and I are urging the Maine Veterans Homes Board to explore all other options to keep these homes open. 

Read our letter here.

Securing Funding for Construction on Five Maine Border Stations

Last week, I announced that $150 million has been allocated for construction and modernization of the border stations in Coburn Gore, Calais-Ferry Point, Fort Fairfield, Limestone, and Houlton through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which we passed late last year.

Many Mainers in the Second District rely on a safe and secure port of entry to do business and stay in touch with family across the Canadian border. Not only will this investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law help enhance security and safety on our northern border and fight drug trafficking, it will also support jobs and provide a boost to local economies in rural Maine. 

Read more about the funding and its benefits here.

Expanding Broadband Access Across Rural Maine

Thanks to the bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill that was signed into law in December 2020, the Maine delegation announced last week that $28 million in funding is coming to Maine to expand broadband services across the state. 

The funding will go to building the ‘last mile’, or the distance between existing broadband infrastructure, often located along a major roadway, and a business or residence that is hundreds or thousands of feet away. Construction of broadband infrastructure is a key step to bridging the digital divide in rural Maine and supporting businesses, students, and families in our district. 

More than 11,000 households across the state, including the Blue Hill Peninsula, the Rangeley Lakes Region, and southern Franklin County will benefit from this funding. I was proud to vote for this investment in affordable, reliable broadband in our towns to help to create good jobs and support our communities as they grow and thrive.

Read more here.

My Statement on the Latest from Ukraine

Last Friday, I released a statement on the latest from Ukraine. You can read it below:

“I continue to believe that the United States should not allow itself to be drawn into a war with Russia, absent a compelling national security interest that would justify putting American servicemembers’ lives on the line. But in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Congress should work together to approve additional assistance packages as appropriate given the evolving situation on the ground in Ukraine and enact tougher sanctions against Russia. 

“The Biden Administration should also pursue every available tool to reduce Russia’s oil and gas revenues, which it depends upon to sustain its military operations, while taking every possible step to shield Americans from rising oil and gas prices at home.

“Looking ahead, Putin’s actions in Ukraine should send a clear message to our NATO partners in Europe that they must increase their defense readiness and pursue a unified strategy to counter Putin’s plans to spread instability on the European continent and around the world.”

As always, I want to hear from you about these issues and others that are important to working people in our district. Please feel free to reach out to our offices with any suggestions, comments, ideas, or concerns you have.

Bangor Office: 6 State Street, Bangor ME 04401. Phone: (207) 249-7400
Caribou Office: 7 Hatch Drive, Suite 230, Caribou ME 04736. Phone: (207) 492-6009
Lewiston Office: 179 Lisbon Street, Lewiston ME 04240. Phone: (207) 241-6767
Washington Office: 1222 Longworth HOB, Washington DC 20515. Phone: (202) 225-6306

It is my pleasure to serve you in Congress. Please continue to provide me with your crucial perspective and experiences.

If you’d like to get my newsletter directly to your inbox, you can sign-up here: https://golden.house.gov/contact/newsletter

Sincerely,

Jared Golden – Member of Congress