The House Appropriations Committee has been approving sections of its proposed federal budget, and U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, says several provisions adopted so far are important for the state.
The Committee hopes to complete votes on the hundreds of budget provisions this week, and Pingree, who serves on the panel, says there have already been some key votes that benefit Maine including a ban on offshore exploration for oil or gas.
“Prohibiting the funding to be used for offshore oil or gas is something we have all been fighting for many years, and having that language in here yet again tends to reassure us that this will not happen.”
The legislation also includes provisions to help the lobster industry and purchase surplus Maine potatoes for distribution to food pantries and other hunger programs across the country. And it provides money for construction at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery and increases funding for National Parks including Acadia.
