Governor Baldacci, Maine Chamber of Commerce Support Work by Maine Senators to Support Economic Stimulus

Press Release

Governor Baldacci, Maine Chamber of Commerce Support Work by Maine Senators to Support Economic Stimulus

Governor John E. Baldacci released the following statement on the negotiations occurring between the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives regarding the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

"The U.S. economy is on the brink of a catastrophe. Families in Maine and across our country are struggling. People are losing their jobs, losing their homes and losing hope. That cannot be allowed to happen," Governor Baldacci said.

"Working without regard to party labels and destructive partisanship, Maine Senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe have demonstrated strong leadership and political courage," Governor Baldacci said. "They are facing intense criticism from their national party leaders and from some Democrats, who have fallen into the trap of counting on federal assistance before a final bill has passed the Congress. The work they are doing to ensure a robust stimulus package transcends the old ways of doing business that have, in the past, slowed progress in Washington."

"Sen. Collins has been instrumental in forming a coalition including Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter and moderate Democrats who have crafted a stimulus package that will create and protect jobs, help our economy to rebound and to prevent an economic decline the likes of which we have not seen for more than 70 years," Governor Baldacci said.

"Sen. Collins and Sen. Snowe, who has done critical work on areas such as improved Medicaid funding and taxes as a senior member of the Finance Committee, have shown that they are willing to put the interests of their country and their state above ideology. The work they are doing is difficult and too often thankless. I fully support their efforts and will do whatever I can to ensure that they are successful in passing a stimulus plan that puts America back to work," Governor Baldacci said.

Dana Connors, president of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce joins the Governor is supporting the efforts at a bipartisan compromise on the stimulus package.

"Sen. Collins has been at the center of efforts to ensure that we have an appropriate federal response to a national economic crisis," Connors said. "Without her efforts, and the efforts of other moderates like Sen. Snowe, the stimulus would fail. Criticism of their efforts is misplaced and fails to recognize that we need a stimulus plan to pass and for it to pass quickly."

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