AUGUSTA – The Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee today killed a
proposal to require voters to present a photo ID before casting a ballot
during an election.

The language of the bill, which would have created unnecessary hurdles to
voting, was replaced with a resolve tasking the Secretary of State to
study changes to Maine's election system.

Today action is a significant victory for voters and for voting
rights,” said Ann Luther of the League of Women Voters of Maine. The
committee has recognized that Maine's elections are well-run, secure
and efficient. And they took a strong stand to make sure all eligible
Maine voters are able to participate.

Requiring voters to present photo ID before participating in elections
creates an unacceptable burden for thousands of eligible Maine voters.

By rejecting photo ID, the committee has stood up for everyone
fundamental right to vote and have their voices heard, said Shenna
Bellows , executive director of the ACLU of Maine. Unfortunately, this
study is a waste of resources and time, and it creates a new opportunity
that could be used to further politicize the administration of elections.
In these difficult economic times it seems irresponsible to use state
resources directing the Secretary of State to do his job.

While the amended language of the bill protects voting rights, the study
language that was adopted is redundant and unnecessary. In testimony
before the committee last week, Secretary of State Charlie Summers said
twice that his office already has the power to review election practices
and propose changes without additional action by the Legislature.

I am fully aware that my office has the authority and the ability to do
this, Summers said.

Maine has a strong tradition of voter participation and is a national
leader in turn out. That tradition of participation has been protected by
voters themselves with the Yes on 1 campaign last year that restored
same-day voter registration and by the actions today of the Legal and
Veterans Affairs Committee.

Voting rights are too important to take for granted, said Laura
Harper of the Maine Women's Lobby. Voting is the cornerstone of our
democracy, and efforts to turn eligible people away have been rejected by
voters and legislators alike. Mainers take their election seriously and
they have worked hard to protect their integrity.
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Will Offer "Motion to Instruct" That Unemployment Insurance Be Used For Jobless Americans

WASHINGTON, DC – Tonight, Congressman Mike Michaud will offer a motion to ensure that funding for unemployment insurance (UI) is used only to provide assistance for the more than 13 million Americans currently out of work.  Michaud’s motion would instruct House negotiators to drop a provision from a bill being negotiated to extend the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits.  That provision would permit states to use UI funding for other programs and initiatives.

“The fact is unemployment benefits remain a crucial resource for American workers who lost their jobs as a result of the Great Recession and not because of their job performance,” said Michaud.  “Using UI funding for anything other than unemployment benefits for struggling families simply makes no sense.”

In December, the House and Senate passed conflicting versions of a bill that would extend both the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance assistance, and House and Senate negotiators are currently working to broker a compromise.  A provision included in the House bill would allow states to divert UI for purposes other than relief for the unemployed.  States already have the power to determine employer tax rates, benefit levels, and eligibility criteria.

“In this environment of reigning in government spending and making sure taxpayer dollars are used effectively, I think it makes sense to make sure that UI benefits can’t be spent on some other program that won’t help families or the economy like unemployment insurance,” Michaud said.

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LEWISTON, ME – Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released more than $863 million in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) assistance nationwide, including $9,995,423 for Maine. Maine has now received $39,981,695 from LIHEAP this season, which is drastically lower than the amount it received last year. Michaud recently sent a letter to President Obama asking him to request $5.1 billion for LIHEAP’s budget next year, which is a level that would represent full funding for the program.


 
“This funding is needed, but it’s not enough,” said Michaud, who’s working with New England’s congressional delegation on a bill to address LIHEAP’s funding shortfall. “President Obama needs to request full funding from the start so that Congress is less likely to move forward with another deep cut to this critical program.”

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Mike Michaud issued the following statement on the Stop Online Piracy Act:
 
“There’s no question that we need to crack down on websites in places like China that infringe U.S. copyrights and hurt our businesses. But it must be done in a way that doesn’t shutdown legitimate websites, violate people’s rights and censor the internet. I oppose this bill and encourage congressional leaders to listen to the legitimate concerns raised by the many Americans who have spoken out against it.”
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Michaud Urges Obama to Support More LIHEAP Funding in Next Budget
 
BANGOR, ME – Today, Congressman Mike Michaud sent a letter to President Obama urging him to include full funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in his Fiscal Year 2013 budget submission to Congress.
“When the President proposes a massive budget cut for LIHEAP it gives congressional leaders an incentive to do the same,” said Michaud. “We need the President to show that he’s listening to the thousands of Mainers hurt by this funding cut by requesting full funding for LIHEAP. Not doing so threatens the health and safety of Mainers struggling to keep warm and make ends meet during cold winter months.”
In November, Michaud sent a letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees urging them to restore funding to LIHEAP, sharing a few of the many stories he received from Mainers by email and through his Facebook page detailing how important the program is to them.
 
The full text of the letter Michaud sent to President Obama today can be found below.
 
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, D.C. 20500
 
Dear President Obama:
 
As you prepare your FY2013 Budget, I urge you to include at least $5.1 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). We must ensure that struggling families have the assistance necessary to heat their homes.
Last year, you proposed a total of $2.57 billion for LIHEAP, a severe reduction from the amount allocated to the program in the previous three fiscal years. While Congress ultimately provided some additional support, the final funding level for this winter is still significantly lower than it was in 2009, 2010, and 2011. Maine alone faces a shortfall of more than $10 million. As a result, individuals and families that have depended on the program are worried that they will not have the resources needed to get through the winter.
I have received countless e-mails, phone calls, and Facebook messages from Mainers concerned about their friends, families, and loved ones. They worry that Washington does not understand that these cuts have real world impacts. Families that have depended on the program in the past may no longer qualify for assistance. Households that have seen their savings wiped out by the recession might not have an important safety net.
I know that we need to be prepared to make tough choices to balance our federal budget and reduce the deficit. However, LIHEAP is not a wasteful government program that benefits only a narrow set of special interests or corporations that do not need the assistance. It provides badly needed protection to the most vulnerable Americans to ensure that they do not have to choose between buying food, paying for their medicine, and heating their homes.
It is essential that we avoid making the same mistake again. I am hopeful that you still set an example by requesting no less than $5.1 billion for LIHEAP in your FY2013 Budget.
 
Sincerely,
 
Michael H. Michaud
Member of Congress
															

Local Business Turns $7,000 Gift into $9,000 in Heating Assistance for Maine Families in Need
Peter Fendler shivered as he got into his car on Thursday morning. The overnight temperature had dropped to the low teens in Cumberland, ME, down from a balmy 52 degrees the day before. As he switched on his radio and heard reports on the continued shortfall in Federal and State Funds for low income heating assistance, he wondered how people less fortunate than he survived the cold Maine winters without adequate heat.
Entering his office at Norton Financial • Insurance in Cumberland, he resolved to do something to see if he and his company could make a difference. "I started doing some online research, and I came upon several organizations that are committed to helping Mainers stay warm. I started emailing my business partners, and they responded with a resounding, 'Let's do it!"'
So, today Norton Insurance • Financial made five gifts totaling $7,000 to provide heating assistance to Mainers. Norton contributed $2,000 to the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation in Bangor. That foundation matches all gifts up to $70,000 received to provide heating assistance for Bangor area residents. Norton also contributed a total of $5,000 to Community Concepts Fuel Assistance Program and three Maine Community Action Agencies – Waldo Community Action Partners, Western Maine Community Action, and Penquis - all of which provide heating assistance programs in their communities.
"With the matching gift from the King Foundation, we were able to turn our $7,000 gift into a $9,000 gift," said Fendler, President of Norton Financial. "As financial and insurance professionals, we just love it when we can produce that kind of return on our investment. We encourage other Maine business who have been fortunate during difficult times to do the same."