Tag Archives: US House of Representatives

Feb 26 2016

Poliquin Votes to Protect Second Amendment Rights, Access to Public Lands

Poliquin Votes to Protect Second Amendment Rights, Access to Public Lands

Poliquin safeguards rights to our public lands and firearms

 

WASHINGTON – Today, Maine’s Second District Congressman, Bruce Poliquin, voted for the bipartisan SHARE Act, which will protect access to public lands and safeguard law-abiding citizens’ Second Amendment rights. Congressman Poliquin released the following statement:

 

“As an outdoorsman, proud gun owner, and member of the Congressional Sportsmen Caucus, one of my priorities in Congress is to protect our outdoors and public lands and to ensure that they can be enjoyed by all and for generations of Mainers to come,” said Congressman Poliquin. “That is why I voted in support of this legislation, which will protect our use of public lands from intrusive federal agencies and will safeguard our Second Amendment rights.”

 

“As Maine’s Second District Congressman, I know how important it is to protect our sportsman tradition in Maine. In Congress, I will continue to support our citizens’ rights to using our land responsibly. I will also always stand firmly against any attack on our Second Amendment rights.”

 

The SHARE Act is a bipartisan bill that contains several key provisions to protect our fishers, hunters and outdoorsmen and women and their rights. This bill removes intrusive regulations from federal agencies, greatly increases the opportunities for Mainers to use federal lands recreationally, and puts in place safeguards to protect law-abiding citizens’ Second Amendment rights.

Feb 25 2016

BREAKING: Poliquin Requests Meeting with White House on Potential National Monument Designation

BREAKING: Poliquin Requests Meeting with White House on Potential National Monument Designation

Congressman Poliquin sends letter to White House emphasizing the importance of hearing from local residents, local employers and local stake holders

 

WASHINGTON – Today, Maine’s Second District Congressman, Bruce Poliquin, sent a letter to the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Managing Director Christy Goldfuss requesting a meeting to discuss the White House’s potential unilateral designation of nearly 100,000 acres in the Katahdin region as a national monument. CEQ is the office within the White House that makes recommendations to the President about national monument designations.

 

In his letter to the White House, Congressman Poliquin writes:

 

“I am requesting this meeting because I fear that the voices of the local residents— my constituents— are not being heard at the White House, leaving only the current land owners and their Washington lobbyists the opportunity to make their case for a national monument designation in Maine’s Katahdin region.

 

“You may be aware that Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and I sent a letter to President Obama on November 20, 2015 urging him against designating a national monument in Maine. Recognizing that the President has the legal authority to unilaterally bypass the legislative process, our letter urged the President to incorporate nine conditions to any monument designation on the land in question if he should choose to sidestep the Congressional process and act alone.

 

“Of the nine conditions we outlined in our letter, we asked the President to consider selecting the U.S. Forest Service as the agency to oversee any monument designation of this land. It came as a surprise that the Director of the National Park Service responded on behalf of the President more than two months after we sent our original letter.

 

“It is important for the White House to hear from the local residents, employers, and stake holders on this issue.  Just this past summer, two of the local towns overwhelming voted to oppose a national park in the region– the Town of Medway voted 71% opposed, and the Town of East Millinocket voted 76% opposed.   These landslide votes in opposition are especially noteworthy when considering that special interest groups in support of a national park—and now a national monument—engineered a massive and expensive campaign to drive up support.”

 

Earlier this month, Congressman Poliquin, along with Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, received a response to their letter to President Obama on the prospect of a national monument designation in the Northern Maine region.  The President’s response came from National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis.

 

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The following is the full text of Congressman Poliquin’s letter to the White House:

 

February 25, 2016

 

Ms. Christy Goldfuss

Managing Director

White House Council on Environmental Quality

722 Jackson Place NW,

Washington, D.C. 20506

 

Dear Ms. Goldfuss,

 

I respectfully request a meeting with you to discuss the White House’s potential designation of nearly 100,000 acres in the district I proudly represent in the United States House of Representatives, Maine’s Second Congressional District.

 

I am requesting this meeting because I fear that the voices of the local residents— my constituents— are not being heard at the White House, leaving only the current land owners and their Washington lobbyists the opportunity to make their case for a national monument designation in Maine’s Katahdin region.

 

You may be aware that Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and I sent a letter to President Obama on November 20, 2015 urging him against designating a national monument in Maine.

Recognizing that the President has the legal authority to unilaterally bypass the legislative process, our letter urged the President to incorporate nine conditions to any monument designation on the land in question if he should choose to sidestep the Congressional process and act alone.

 

The President did not respond to our letter, but instead I received a letter on his behalf from National Park Director John Jarvis earlier this month.

 

Of the nine conditions we outlined in our letter, we asked the President to consider selecting the U.S. Forest Service as the agency to oversee any monument designation of this land. It came as a surprise that the Director of the National Park Service responded on behalf of the President more than two months after we sent our original letter.

 

It is important for the White House to hear from the local residents, employers, and stake holders on this issue.  Just this past summer, two of the local towns overwhelming voted to oppose a national park in the region– the Town of Medway voted 71% opposed, and the Town of East Millinocket voted 76% opposed.   These landslide votes in opposition are especially noteworthy when considering that special interest groups in support of a national park—and now a national monument— engineered a massive and expensive campaign to drive up support.

 

Immediately following the vote, the park proponents and their lobbyists emphasized that voter turnout was low and thus not an accurate reflection of the local residents, but that is incorrect.  36% of eligible voters participated in these two nonbinding referendums. This is a significantly high turnout when compared to a 2013 referendum on other issues when less than 22% of eligible voters in East Millinocket and Medway participated.

 

Additionally, the park proponents and their Washington lobbyists have focused largely on a statewide telephone poll that shows 60% of Mainers support their national park proposal.  What the park proponents fail to disclose is that they paid for that poll without any consultation from our Office or the Senate Offices and that the questions asked did not include very important facts, including that much of the proposed land is owned by other private land owners who do not wish to sell.  Further, this poll asked about a proposed national park, not a unilateral national monument designation.

 

I know the President’s Administration has been accused of governing only by polls, rather than in the best interest of the American people. I hope you dissuade me, and others, of the notion that the White House is not simply governing by polls and you will eliminate any weight placed on any unverified private poll which was not conducted by or on behalf of the U.S. Government.  The two official votes in Medway and East Millinocket reflect the voices of those who actually live in the Katahdin region and should be given great weight.

 

Thank you for your time and consideration of my meeting request.  My scheduler, Carmen Fuentes, can be reached at (202)225-6306 or carmen.fuentes@mail.house.gov.  I will make myself available at your convenience so that we can discuss this important matter that would have long lasting effects on my constituents in Maine’s Second Congressional District.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Bruce Poliquin

Member of Congress

 

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Click HERE to see a PDF version of Congressman Poliquin’s letter to the White House.

Feb 24 2016

POLIQUIN’S STATEMENT ON THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION’S PLAN TO CLOSE GUANTANAMO

February 23, 2016
Press Release

WASHINGTON – Today, Maine’s Second District Congressman, Bruce Poliquin, released the following statement on President Obama’s plan to shut down the Guantanamo Bay prison:

 

“President Obama has demonstrated, yet again, that he puts his party’s politics before protecting the American People,” said Congressman Poliquin.  “The transfer of dangerous, radicalized terrorists to American soil threatens the safety of citizens across our country.

 

“Not only is the President’s plan dangerous and senseless, but it is indisputably illegal.  President Obama himself signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act of 2016 (NDAA), which specifically restricts any transfer of detainees from Guantanamo Bay prison.  In his address this morning, the President even acknowledged that his proposal must pass through Congress because he does not have the authority to do this unilaterally.

 

“Our Nation faces countless threats from enemies around the world every day.  This Administration should be focusing on protecting Americans and strengthening our national security, not fulfilling its political agenda.”

Feb 18 2016

Fighting for Rural Families in Maine

Fighting for Rural Families in Maine

Congressman Poliquin introduces bipartisan bill to improve rural families’ access to electricity

 

WASHINGTON – Maine’s Second District Congressman, Bruce Poliquin, has introduced the Improving Rural Access to Power Act, a bipartisan bill to support electricity infrastructure development in Maine’s rural areas and communities.  Congressman Poliquin released the following statement:

 

“Maine’s rural families and businesses deserve the most reliable access to electricity and other needed resources possible,” said Congressman Poliquin.  “Our communities from the County to Downeast Maine should have ready and dependable electricity available to them when they need it.  This is especially important for our seniors and those that require assured access to power.

 

“The Improving Rural Access to Power Act will make it easier for rural electric cooperatives, the major electricity suppliers for underserved areas, to access the capital they need to properly service communities and local business in more isolated regions, like the hundreds of towns on our State’s Atlantic coastline, making up more than 25,000 users.  Specifically, this bill will help ensure that thousands of households in four different counties in Maine—Aroostook, Hancock, Washington and Penobscot—can fully depend on their electricity provider, which is absolutely vital given the severe and often unpredictable weather conditions we experience.”

 

This legislation will allow the Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLB’s) to invest in the electricity supplier market to help ensure that rural electric cooperatives can access the capital needed to properly service rural areas.  Current law restricts the FHLB’s authority to invest.  The Improving Rural Access to Power Act ensures that rural electric cooperatives can properly serve their communities by expanding access to capital and allowing for an increased ability to improve service reliability and transmission.

 

Congressman Poliquin introduced the bill with bipartisan support from Democratic Congressman David Scott (GA-13), the lead cosponsor, who serves on the House Financial Services Committee with Poliquin.