$15 million for Maine programs in House bill
2/26/09 | 14 comments
congress

$15 million for Maine programs in House bill


Health care, research among beneficiaries
By Drew FitzGerald

WASHINGTON — Maine stands to get more than $15 million for programs ranging from emergency response to blueberry research under a long-delayed $410 billion bill to fund government operations that passed the House on Wednesday night.

The proposal combines nine separate spending bills that never came to a final vote during the last congressional session. The last Congress passed a continuing resolution that provides for funding until March 6. This bill would fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.

The House passed the bill 245-178 with 16 Republicans voting for it. Reps. Mike Michaud and Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, both voted for it.

“It’s probably not a perfect piece of legislation, but it was needed to get us going so we can start with the 2010 budget cycle,” Michaud said.

Though congressional leaders said they passed a stimulus bill with no earmarks, the late 2009 spending bill was full of funding for specific local projects. Michaud set aside several provisions for Maine, including funds for national parks, agricultural research and town utilities.

Among the provisions:

ä The proposal includes $190,000 to help restore rail service between Brewer and Hancock that would serve vacation destinations in eastern Maine.

ä The University of Maine would receive $1.4 million for research on lobsters, blueberry cultivation science and pest tracking for potato growers. The bill also provides $2.2 million for the New England Plant, Soil and Water Research Laboratory.

ä The Maine Tidal Power Initiative, a relatively new program, would receive $951,500 to study possible locations for renewable tidal power plants on the coast. The project is a collaboration between Maine Maritime Academy and the University of Maine.

ä Maine health care facilities stand to gain with $114,000 allocated for Bucksport Regional Health Center and $209,000 for Charles A. Dean Memorial Hospital in Greenville.

ä The bill provides $200,000 for the Maine Warden Service to upgrade its search-and-rescue equipment. Michaud spokesman Ed Gilman said the service could use the money to buy night-vision goggles.

ä At least $200,000 would go to the Maine Public Safety and Health Initiative, which assigns law enforcement to investigate drug trafficking and overdoses in the state.

Republican leaders blamed Democrats for passing what they called a bloated bill full of earmarks and called for a “spending freeze” in Washington.

“Congressional Democrats haven’t lost their appetite for spending in Washington,” National Republican Campaign Committee spokesman Ken Spain said in a statement.

The funding was proposed last year, so freshman Pingree did not make her mark on the legislation.

The bill now goes to the Senate.

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Comments
14 comments on this item
On 2/27/09 at 1:45 AM, bassman4447 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Most of the money wasted on gov pork, pork, pork . Help the elderly there in a losing battle.....

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On 2/27/09 at 4:39 AM, garysavard wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Pure pork. Is there anyone in government today with an ounce of responsibility in their blood? My grandchildrens' grandchildren will be paying on this crap!

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On 2/27/09 at 5:25 AM, eljell wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

it sounds like someone with a lot of money who just wants to spend it, $190000 to have train service from Brewer to Hancock, you have to be kidding me, the people of Maine need more input about how the money is being spent but I'm not sure how this could be done in a realistic way, maybe the BDN is our best voice.

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On 2/27/09 at 6:17 AM, captain_obvious wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

again... 15,000,000 in a 416,000,000,000 plan?

SOUNDS LIKE ANOTHER SUCKFEST

why can't maine even get a billion bucks?

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On 2/27/09 at 7:17 AM, Bangorian wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Hey Captain - in case you haven't noticed, there aren't that many people living up here and we don't produce much in federal tax. Why should we eat up stimulus money - there's not much to stimulate here that's going to help the larger picture.

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On 2/27/09 at 7:51 AM, musician wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Rail service that was eliminated 50 years ago because it was no longer needed?

Tidal power which was considered years ago but was deemed to not be feasible?

But, now these things are supposed to be good ideas?!

Rail service from Portland to Bangor would be more practical before that from Brewer to Hancock!

Where does all this pork money come from anyhow?

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On 2/27/09 at 8:20 AM, ryan22857 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Complain, complain and complain.........

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On 2/27/09 at 8:38 AM, Tikitorch wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Captain O... We are getting a Million Bucks x 15..... and I am still against this thing!

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On 2/27/09 at 10:10 AM, leftme wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Thieves, Crooks, Liars, Politicians.They are all the same word.We need to get rid of all of them and start over.Promises, Promises.

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On 2/27/09 at 10:28 AM, captain_obvious wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

all I'm saying is 416,000,000,000

416,000,000,000 / 50 is 8 BILLION DOLLARS

and we still can't even get at least 1 BILLION?

416 Billion - 1 billion is just 415 BIllion the rest of the states can have

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On 2/27/09 at 10:36 AM, captain_obvious wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Hmm, maybe we should allow gay marriages. Maine takes it up the a$$ enough already

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On 2/27/09 at 12:14 PM, leftme wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

60,000 pages to the tax code.Does every H&R block agent know all of this ? The IRS doesnt even know whats in it.All i want to know is when will all of this crap stop? The messiah is on tv again with another speech.

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On 2/27/09 at 12:23 PM, JWBooth wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

From the first item on the list, it looks like Susan Collins just robbed the taxpayers of $190,000.00 to fund Tommy Testa's hobby.

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On 2/27/09 at 1:41 PM, mariahstorm wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

the glut of the money goes to university of maine??? the university that has professors promoting gay marriage and low SATS!!! and maine maritime????? those 200 students????? so where is the change that is coming to USA and MAINE.....?????

it's all going directly to THE STATE....Screw the People!!! MORE MILITARY SECRET STRUCTURING IN MAINE COLLINS? SNOWE? FOOL MICHAUD? AND REALLY DISAPPOINTED IN PINGREE! THIS HAS NO THOUGHT...JUST FISTS GRABBING....STOP LETTING THE DAVID ROCKEFELLERS AND ASTORS AND EMERY AND THE OTHER FILTHY RICH.... WITH NO MORALS , CHANGE OUR STATE INTO SOMETHING WE DO NOT WANT...A PLAYGROUND FOR THE BORED WEALTHY 'ACTOR' TYPES! and an industrialized waterfront??????? military LABS etc....????? and where does the naval airforce station fit in????? looks like more RAILROADING than you can believe!!! why don't they get into the fruit business and farming it goes with the territory!!! duh.... and does this pork festival even address job' creation'.........no!!!!!!! to this forbidden fruit!

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