Maine Legislature State House Station Augusta, Maine 04333
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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 Rep. Betty Austin Sen. Cathy Breen Rep. Shawn Babine Sen. Justin Chenette Rep. Seth Berry Sen. Ned Claxton Rep. Lydia Blume Sen. Robert Foley Rep. Michael Brennan Sen. Lisa Keim Rep. Heidi Brooks Sen. Rebecca Millett Rep. Chris Caiazzo Sen. David Miramant Rep. Barbara Cardone Sen. Marianne Moore Rep. Anne Carney Sen. Heather Sanborn Rep. Kristen Cloutier Sen. Linda Sanborn Rep. Janice Cooper Rep. Edward Crockett Rep. Scott Cuddy Rep. Matthea Daughtry Rep. Donna Doore Rep. Diane Denk Rep. Janice Dodge Rep. Victoria Doudera MAINE LEGISLATURE STATE HOUSE STATION AUGUSTA, MAINE 04333 Rep. Michelle Dunphy Rep. Jeffrey Evangelos Rep. Jessica Fay Rep. Ryan Fecteau Rep. Victoria Foley Rep. Nicole Grohoski Rep. Thomas Harnett Rep. Allison Hepler Rep. Craig Hickman Rep. Daniel Hobbs Rep. Brian Hubbell Rep. Patricia Hymanson Rep. Henry Ingwersen Rep. Erik Jorgensen Rep. Christopher Kessler Rep. Victoria Kornfield Rep. Colleen Madigan Rep. Roland “Danny” Martin Rep. Anne-Marie Mastraccio Rep. Ann Matlack MAINE LEGISLATURE STATE HOUSE STATION AUGUSTA, MAINE 04333 Rep. Chloe Maxmin Rep. David McCrea Rep. Joyce McCreight Rep. Genevieve McDonald Rep. Andrew McLean Rep. Michel Meyer Rep. Matthew Moonen Rep. Victoria Morales Rep. Stephen Moriarty Rep. Kevin O'Connell Rep. Margaret O’Neil Rep. Sean Paulhus Rep. Sarah Pebworth Rep. Teresa Pierce Rep. William Pluecker Rep. Lois Reckitt Rep. Tina Riley Rep. Tiffany Roberts Rep. Deane Rykerson Rep. John Schneck MAINE LEGISLATURE STATE HOUSE STATION AUGUSTA, MAINE 04333 Rep. Braden Sharpe Rep. Stephen Stanley Rep. Holly Stover Rep. Michael Sylvester Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross Rep. Denise Tepler Rep. Maureen Terry Rep. Ryan Tipping Rep. Ralph Tucker Rep. Charlotte Warren Rep. Bruce White Rep. Stanley Paige Zeigler .