Some progress for Maine in a broken Congress
By U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud
(D-Maine)
When Congress recently voted to adjourn for a five week summer break, I opposed it because there is so much that remains unaddressed. And it’s going to be impossible to responsibly get things done during the upcoming two week September session.
Congress still needs to pass a bill updating our nation’s farm programs, which would finally move away from subsidies for major agribusinesses and focus more on farmers like those in Maine.
There has been no movement on a comprehensive bill to create jobs or address the “fiscal cliff” facing our country in January if a deal isn’t struck on debt reduction.
Congress hasn’t sent the President a single appropriations bill to be signed into law, and is instead relying on stopgap bills that simply keep government operations and programs flat funded with little to no change. And this happens despite the fact that updates are desperately needed to save taxpayers money and adjust priorities to reflect current needs.
An agreement on how to renew tax cuts also remains elusive. Extending tax cuts for the middle class is something Democrats and Republicans agree should be passed. Congress should put a bill like this to a vote that also makes sure taxes on higher earners don’t hurt small businesses. But that isn’t happening because of election year politics.
Reasonable people can disagree, but they should also be able to work out solutions at least some of the time. Thankfully, not all Congress does is as bad as the partisans on cable news would have you believe. While congressional leaders remain largely out of touch, many find a way to work together to get things done. And I’m pleased to report that there have been a few signs of progress in this seemingly broken Congress.
I was recently joined by members of both political parties from both the House and Senate to press for policies that will protect Maine shoemaking jobs in a new free trade agreement called the Trans-Pacific Partnership. As a result, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk accepted my invitation to visit Maine to see firsthand the good work being done here. That’s good news for local jobs, including hundreds of New Balance employees in Norway, Norridgewock and Skowhegan.
I’m also pleased to report that a bill I wrote has been signed into law by President Obama. In the final week of session, the House passed a package of veterans bills that included one I have been pushing for years to ensure severely disabled and elderly Maine veterans get the care they need at our state veterans homes. This new law will benefit state veterans homes in Augusta, Bangor, Caribou, Scarborough, South Paris, and Machias by helping ensure they get properly reimbursed for the cost of the care they provide to our veterans.
On the national level, each week more members of Congress are cosponsoring a bill I’m pushing to ensure Congress doesn’t get paid unless they pass appropriations and budget bills on time each year. This is just one reform to Congress that is needed and certainly more needs to be done. But it might just be the wakeup call lawmakers need to break the gridlock in Washington.
Mainers I talk to want political standoffs ended, and I couldn’t agree more. Though it might not seem possible with the current mudslinging, I’m hopeful Washington can get beyond the failures of the past and finally do what is right for our country and work together to get things done.