News
Pingree Continues to Fight to Protect Survivors of Sexual Assault Who Seek Security Clearance
Tuesday, April 19, 2016 | Category: Sexual Harassment/Assault/Trauma - ME
Drafters of the final version of the national security clearance questionnaire apparently considered the Director of National Intelligence's April 2013 changes to Question 21 of the Standard Form 86 as provisional. Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01) is again asking the Director not to force survivors of sexual assault to disclose whether or not they pursued counseling, just as military personnel counseled for combat-related PTSD have long been exempted.
LePage Signs Bill Designed to Improve Services for Maine Veterans
Friday, April 15, 2016 | Category: State Veteran Affairs - ME
Governor LePage signed into law a bill that provides staffing for the Maine Bureau of Veterans Services and provides state community college and university tuition to members of the Maine National Guard. The new Bureau positions include one position that will be dedicated to improving and coordinating outreach and communication with Maine veterans. The other three will augment the current staff of state Veteran Service Officers. Two will be mobile, bringing services to veterans, and one will also focus on homeless veterans in Maine.
ARCH Program Moves One Step Closer to Being Extended
Thursday, April 14, 2016 | Category: Health Care - ME
The Access Received Closer to Home (ARCH) program was extended two years by the Senate Appropriations Committee. Senator Collins, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, successfully advocated for the program's continuance.
Federal Veterans Budget Includes Nearly $7 Million for Portland Clinic
Thursday, April 14, 2016 | Category: Health Care - ME
Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Appropriations Committee, announced that the 2017 fiscal year budget for military construction and veterans affairs included about $7 million to relocate and consolidate the Portland and Saco veterans’ outpatient clinics. Monies would cover a new facility lease, more services, and support a partnership between the VA Maine Healthcare System, Maine Medical Center, and the Tufts University School of Medicine. The bill awaits a final full Senate vote.
Governor Visits Maple Veterans' Sunday
Sunday, April 3, 2016 | Category: Employment - ME
Ireland Hill Farms in Swanville is a veteran-owned business. Jerry Ireland hosted Maple Sunday a week late, celebrating the grand opening of the first store in Maine to sell "Homegrown by Heroes" products with Governor LePage attending in the ribbon cutting ceremony. These products support Maine veteran farmers. They've grown from 20 to 140 participating farms in just the last year.
Maine Lawmakers Forge Deal on Veterans Aid Funding
Friday, April 1, 2016 | Category: Legislation - ME
Bills resulting from a 2015 Commission report garnered bipartisan House support after a short delay. Funding is proposed to come from surplus revenue at the state’s Gambling Control Board.
Bid to Use Liquor Profits to Fund Maine Veterans Programs Stumbles
Wednesday, March 30, 2016 | Category: State Veteran & Military Laws: Non-state Sources - ME
The Maine Bureau of Veterans Services hasn't received substantial funding since before September 11, 2001. Representative Jared Golden's bill "hit a brick wall" in the House of Representatives after more than 90 minutes of debate. The point of contention was centered on funding the legislation’s estimated $600,000 annual price tag. The legislation also provided for free tuition to members of Maine’s National Guard.
Decades Later, Vietnam Veterans Welcomed Home to Maine
Sunday, March 20, 2016 | Category: History/Heritage - ME
In Saco, Maine, hundreds welcomed home Vietnam veterans in advance of the official Vietnam Veterans Day on March 29th.
Women Veterans Connect at Healing Oasis Retreat
Sunday, March 20, 2016 | Category: Advocacy/Outreach - ME
Several women veterans connected this weekend at the first-ever retreat for women veterans held at the Green Gem Holistic Healing Oasis in Bangor. The two-day event included hands-on activities, relaxation techniques like yoga, as well as an opportunity to get to know each other. Candace Green and others who organized and supported the retreat hope to host more events for women veterans in the future.
Bills to Boost Services to Maine Veterans Advance
Thursday, March 3, 2016 | Category: Legislation - ME
The state legislature’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee unanimously approved a couple of bills that would add three staff members to the Maine's Bureau of Veteran Services. One is to enhance services to homeless veterans and to automate veteran record keeping. The second bill was to open state parks to free day use by all Maine veterans, their spouses and dependent children as well as to family members of deployed active duty military members. The bills will move on to be vetted for appropriations as well as other House and Senate votes.