Issues: Jobs and the Economy
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the chairman of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded $990,500 to the Portland Shipyard. The funding will be used to replace an aging and outdated mobile boat hoist with a new 330-ton mobile boat hoist with technological improvements to enhance its capabilities to serve Portland’s fleet. The project is part of the shipyard’s modernization efforts to improve safety and efficiency.
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittee, announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) will award $7,890,000 in funding to the State of Maine for the Maine Railroad Bridge Capacity project in northeastern Maine. This funding will be provided to the Maine Department of Transportation through the FASTLANE grant program created by the FAST Act.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Navy has awarded Bath Iron Works a $11,392,918 contract modification. The funding will be used to exercise options for Arleigh Burke-class destroyers lead yard services.
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, and Angus King announced today that the Brunswick Executive Airport will receive $2,014,200 support improvements for Hanger 5. The funding will be awarded through the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Military Airport Program (MAP).
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced today that the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $15 million for the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC), an increase of $5 million over the previous year.
With its marvelous parade, great food, fun, and friendships, Eastport is known for its memorable Fourth of July celebrations. The dedication of the new Breakwater in America’s easternmost city made the 2017 celebration truly unforgettable.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today welcomed an announcement from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that the Departments of Labor and Homeland Security will issue up to 15,000 additional H-2B visas for U.S. businesses to hire temporary workers. Senators Collins and King had repeatedly pressed both Departments and USCIS to increase the visa cap so that Maine businesses would be able to hire additional temporary employees to help their businesses operate during the busy summer tourist season.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins, the Chairman of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded $531,999 to the Steven A. Bean Municipal Airport in Rangeley to support work to expand and reconstruct the airport’s apron.
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced today that the Senate Appropriations Committee on which she serves approved $61.7 million in funding for a paint, blast, and rubber fabrication facility at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) in Kittery. The funding was included in the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill at her request.
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced today that the Senate Appropriations Committee on which she serves approved $17.5 million in funding for the Army National Guard Readiness Center in Presque Isle. The funding was included in the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill at her request.
Click HERE for a high-resolution photo of Senator Collins with Paul Lancisi at Dove Tail Bat Company
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Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin announced today that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved up to $10 million to purchase Maine wild blueberries after the Delegation requested the Department take action earlier this year. Bonus buys help protect American farmers from unexpected market conditions by purchasing surplus goods and distributing them to food banks and other charitable institutions.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and U.S.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King have signed onto a bipartisan letter led by Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary John Kelly urging him to use the authority provided by Congress to lift the cap on seasonal H-2B visas that employers rely on to fill summer jobs. In the letter, the senators expressed their concern about reports that visas may not be approved in time for peak tourist season.
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that Cianbro Corp. of Pittsfield will be awarded $23,098,000 from the U.S. Navy for improvements to dry dock number one at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) in Kittery.
Washington, D.C. - Following an effort from U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today will resume premium processing for all H-1B petitions filed for medical doctors under the Conrad 30 Waiver program, as well as interested government agency waivers. The Conrad 30 program helps address physician shortages by allowing doctors to stay in the United States in exchange for practicing in underserved areas, such as rural communities.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Economic Development Administration has awarded three grants totaling $210,000 to support economic development and planning for parts of rural Maine. Eastern Maine Development Corporation, Kennebec Valley Council of Governments, and Northern Maine Development Commission, Inc. will each receive $70,000.
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins introduced the Community Bank Sensible Regulation Act of 2017, legislation that would allow financial regulators to exempt small community banks from unnecessary and burdensome requirements. Her bill would protect small financial institutions from highly complex regulations that are intended for larger banks whose failure would risk the collapse of the financial system.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today introduced legislation that would make it easier for Maine seafood dealers to export sea urchins and sea cucumbers outside of the United States. The legislation, which also has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and Congressman Bruce Poliquin, would put an end to repetitive, mandatory inspections of urchins and sea cucumbers exported from the country.
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Gary Peters (D-MI) introduced bipartisan legislation today to help local fire departments across the country save money and hire and promote trained first responders. The Firefighters Retention Act of 2017 will give fire departments flexibility to use Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) Grants to transition part-time or paid-on-call personnel to full-time status.
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced today that the fiscal year 2017 funding bill that was signed into law last week contains $6 million to initiate two grant programs to support safety for fishermen. Senator Collins, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, championed the effort to ensure the Fishing Safety Training Grant Program and the Fishing Safety Research Grant Program receive funding.
Washington, D.C. - By a vote of 79-18 the Senate passed a bipartisan appropriations omnibus this afternoon that will fund the government at updated levels through the end of September. U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, successfully pushed for a number of provisions that were incorporated in the final bill.
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Gary Peters (D-MI) introduced bipartisan legislation to help protect small businesses from falling victim to fraud when they register to procure federal contracts. The Procurement Fraud Prevention Act would require small businesses to be notified that free assistance is available for help in procuring federal contracts through federal programs, including Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs), the Small Business Administration (SBA), and the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA).
By: Senator Susan M. Collins
Small businesses are our nation’s job creators. According to the Small Business Administration, small businesses employ more than half of all American workers and have generated two-out-of-three net new jobs since the 1970s.
Maine truly is a small business state, with nearly 300,000 of our residents employed by our more than 141,000 small businesses. That’s nearly 60 percent of our workforce.
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King applauded yesterday's decision by the U.S. Department of Commerce, which confirmed that Catalyst Paper received a negligible amount of subsidies during the review period. Catalyst Paper will now be excluded from the countervailing duty order on supercalendered paper.
The American Apprenticeship Act would provide funding to states for tuition assistance programs for pre-apprenticeship and Registered Apprenticeship programs; Though evidence indicates that the apprenticeship model is a highly effective training model, it is not widely used by American workers or employers.
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