One year ago, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 into law. The law dedicated nearly $1 billion in discretionary funding to Maine, which Governor Mills, through her Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, has worked to invest in the state’s communities and families, with the approval of the Maine Legislature. The funds have been used to support Maine small businesses and heritage industriesenhance job training and workforce preparedness programs, and expand child care, affordable housing, broadband, and other critical infrastructure around the state.

This funding has been critical to Maine’s economic recovery from the pandemic and will help the state tackle long term, systemic problems in its economy. But, if Paul LePage had his way in the Blaine House again, federal investments like this may never make it to our communities at all. When LePage was in office, he repeatedly forfeited federal funds, ending his time in the Blaine House having refused a whopping $1.9 billion in money from Washington. Since announcing his 2022 campaign, LePage has signaled he is still opposed to federal funding that might be able to help Mainers, attacking the historic investments from the American Rescue Plan as “funny money.”

“One year later, it’s clear that the federal funding behind the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan has had a truly profound impact on our state–allowing our economy to recover and facilitating historic investments in Maine people,” said Drew Gattine, Chair of the Maine Democratic Party. “I’m thankful to have a governor in Janet Mills who recognizes the impact that these funds will have on the lives and livelihoods of Maine people and is putting that money to good use on their behalf. We can’t let Paul LePage drag us back to a time when our governor let his own partisan, ideological opposition block investments in Maine families.”

Read more about Paul LePage’s record of refusing federal funds which could have helped Maine people here.