Maine Legislature State House Station Augusta, Maine 04333

MAINE LEGISLATURE STATE HOUSE STATION AUGUSTA, MAINE 04333

April 20, 2020

Senator Susan Collins Senator Angus King 413 Dirksen Senate Office Building 133 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515

Representative Chellie Pingree Representative Jared Golden 2162 Rayburn House Office Building 1223 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515

Dear Senator Collins, Senator King, Representative Pingree, and Representative Golden:

th We, the undersigned members of the 129 Maine Legislature, write today asking that you support an amendment to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

We are grateful for the passage of the CARES Act and the assistance it will provide, but in its current form, we are concerned that the funding Maine will receive cannot be used to address the massive losses in state revenue we expect to incur due to the coronavirus.

Current guidance requires that approximately $1.25 billion of the funding Maine is expected to receive must be used for expenditures that: (1) are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to COVID–19; (2) were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020 for the State or government; and (3) were incurred during the period that begins on March 1, 2020, and ends on December 30, 2020.

These significant restrictions, and an inability to specifically use these funds to offset revenue shortfalls, will seriously inhibit Maine’s ability to respond to this crisis. More flexible federal funding will help us continue to provide vital services, prevent further shutdown of key sectors of the state economy and hasten recovery once social distancing measures are relaxed.

We ask you to take immediate action and support amending the CARES Act to allow already appropriated CARES Act funds to be used to supplement state revenues that are being devastated due to COVID-19. Maine needs your support.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

Sincerely,

MAINE LEGISLATURE STATE HOUSE STATION AUGUSTA, MAINE 04333

Rep. Sara Gideon Sen. Troy Jackson Speaker of the House Senate President

Rep. Kent Ackley Sen. Shenna Bellows