Congresswoman Chellie Pingree is introducing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act today that calls on the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense to reform policy around sexual assault in the military.

“Congress should pass this amendment and send a strong signal to the VA and to the Pentagon that we recognize what a serious problem sexual assault in the military is,” Pingree said. “But mostly it sends a message to the victims that we recognize what they have gone through and we won’t stand for it.”

Pingree has been pushing the Department of Veterans Affairs to relax the standards of proof for victims of sexual assault who are seeking benefits, and has introduced a bill with bipartisan support to force the VA to make those changes.

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Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said a Republican sponsored bill up for a vote today would gut key provisions of the Violence Against Women Act and she called on House Members to put politics aside and support a bipartisan bill passed by the Senate.

“This law was passed and renewed twice without a fight because reducing violence against women has always been something everyone can agree on, but this time Republicans in the House have decided they want to play politics with it,” said Pingree.

Since the Violence Against Women Act was passed in 1994, domestic violence crimes have dropped by more than half. The law was reauthorized twice without a partisan fight and last month the Senate again reauthorized it, with bipartisan support including the votes of Senators Snowe and Colliins.

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Today, Representative Mike Michaud announced he has signed on as a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed yesterday by Common Cause, challenging that the Senate’s use of the filibuster and the hold are unconstitutional.

“Partisanship and gamesmanship have become the norm in Congress, and the filibuster is just one example of that,” said Michaud. “The fact that one senator can singlehandedly and secretly stop a bill that would help State Veterans Homes provide care to our veterans shows just how broken Congress is. It’s time to fix it.”

A Senator may threaten a filibuster, which forces the Senate to obtain 60 votes to proceed with consideration of legislation. Although final passage of the bill only requires 51 votes, the commonplace use of the filibuster means that bills must garner the support of 60 senators before they can advance to the floor.

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The New Balance shoes manufactured in Skhowegan that Michaud gave to Pres. Obama

Congressman Mike Michaud, Chairman of the House Trade Working Group, yesterday sent a letter signed by 18 of his colleagues urging U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk to maintain existing tariffs on footwear imports in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to ensure American companies such as New Balance can compete on a level playing field. Michaud and his colleagues sent a similar letter last year.

Vietnam, the world’s second largest footwear exporter to the U.S., is a participant in TPP negotiations and is pushing the U.S. to remove duties on footwear in the agreement. Like the footwear sector in China, Vietnam’s footwear industry benefits from government intervention, currency manipulation, and low labor standards.

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Congresswoman Chellie Pingree took to the House floor at 11 p.m. last night to vigorously defend an attack on a new fisheries management system that she says is working for Maine fishermen. Florida Republican Congressman Steve Southerland’s NOAA appropriations provision would block future expansion of the “catch shares” management system, which he said is a “tactic determined to destroy American freedom.”

Pingree vigorously defended catch shares, saying, “It’s critical for coastal communities and working waterfronts that fishermen are allowed to utilize the best management tools for their particular fishery. Catch shares may not be the best option for every fishery, but that decision should be left to the industry, the management experts, and the scientists in their region where the fishery occurs.”

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This morning in Washington, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree talked to hundreds of veterans from around the country who had been victim of sexual assault in the military.  Pingree congratulated the veterans, who had gathered at a conference put on by the Service Women’s Action Network, for speaking out.

“I know this is a deeply emotional issue for you, and you should be congratulated for having the courage to come here today and tell your stories.  By going to Capitol Hill and talking to Members of Congress directly about your story, you will help bring about real change,” said Pingree.

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President Barack Obama arrived in Afghanistan under cover of darkness Tuesday night for a whirlwind trip scheduled to culminate with a live, televised address at 7:30 pm to the American people delivered from Bagram Air Base outside the Afghan capital, Kabul.

In May 2010, in Washington, DC, President Obama and President Karzai committed our two countries to negotiate and conclude a strategic partnership that would provide a framework for our future relationship. On May 1, 2012, President Obama and President Karzai signed the Enduring Strategic Partnership Agreement between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the United States of America.

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Today Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced $1,268,173 in grants awarded to community health centers in Maine due to the new health care law – the Affordable Care Act. Penobscot Community Health Center, Inc.of Bangor will receive $498,173.Pines Health Service,of Caribou will get $270, and $500,000 will go to the City of Portland.

“President Obama’s health care law is making community health centers in Maine stronger,” said Secretary Sebelius. “For many Americans, community health centers are the major source of care that ranges from prevention to treatment of chronic diseases. This investment will expand our ability to provide high-quality care to millions of people while supporting good paying jobs in communities across the country.”

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The Portland Community Health Center is getting a $500,000 grant to help them expand and renovate the facility on Park Avenue.

“This investment makes health care more accessible for people in our community who can’t afford it, without putting that burden on local property taxes,” said Congresswoman Chellie Pingree. “And the work that this money will fund also helps support local jobs, not just in the health center itself but construction jobs to do the necessary renovations.”

Nationwide employment at health centers is up 15 percent because of these investments, supporting thousands of good-paying health care jobs for nurse, medical technicians and others.

The funding announced today will allow the Health Center to renovate the clinic, providing more space to see additional patients and make medical care more efficient.

“This is great news and it’s going to allow us to do the expansion necessary to see one-third more patients. Without this funding, these renovations wouldn’t be possible,” said Leslie Brancato, CEO of the Health Clinic.

The Portland Community Health Center currently serves 3,000 patients, although the renovations funded by this grant will allow them to see an additional 1,000 patients. Payment is made on a sliding scale based on a patient’s ability to pay.

The grant announced today is funded by the Affordable Care Act, which Pingree co-sponsored in her first year in Congress.

Turner Farm, Maine

The Senate Agriculture Committee passed a farm bill late last week that contained a number of provisions to support local and organic farms. All of those provisions were included in the Local Farms, Food and Jobs Act, introduced by Pingree earlier this year.

“I was glad to see that this bill adopts some key programs that will support smaller farmers and organic farmers and make it easier for consumers to have access to local food,” said Pingree, a member of the House Agriculture Committee. “Local food is good for the economy and good for families. Consumers want access to local food and it’s time our agriculture policy start catching up with that.”

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