WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Office of U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today released the July episode of Senator King’s “Inside Maine” podcast, in which Senator King and his guests discussed the significant investments coming to Maine communities from 2022 Congressionally-Directed Spending (CDS). Senator King was joined by recipients from four organizations receiving CDS: Town of Vinalhaven planner George Kendrick, York County Shelter Programs Executive Director Megan Gean-Gendron, Saint Joseph’s College President James Dlugos, and Northern Maine Community College President Tim Crowley. During the conversation, Senator King and his guests highlighted the importance of CDS, what these investments mean for Maine communities, and the investments their organizations are making with the funds secured by Senator King in the recently-passed 2022 Omnibus Appropriations Package. 

“From water infrastructure projects to workforce training, Congressionally-Directed Spending is making crucial, historic investments in communities across our state,” said Senator King. “The bipartisan funding is providing direct, needed resources to the projects and places in Maine where it will have the most impact. It was a pleasure to sit down with four of the recipients and learn more about how the CDS funding is supporting their organizations, community, and the future of our state. I look forward to keeping in touch with them to hear their continued work on the issues facing Maine.”

Senator King was first joined by George Kendrick, the architect of the Town of Vinalhaven’s Downtown Project that is receiving $1,410,000 in Congressionally-Directed Spending to upgrade to stormwater, sewer, and wastewater infrastructure on Main Street. The funding for the Downton Project will address growing concerns of flooding due to increased precipitation and rising sea levels and proposes to strengthen the future resiliency of the island’s economy. The overall goal of the Downtown Project is to improve the function and resilience of Main Street, which will help make walking, driving, working, living, and doing business easier, safer, and more efficient for everyone.

Next, King spoke with Megan Gean-Gendron, Executive Director of York County Shelter Programs that is receiving $325,000 in Congressionally-Directed Spending for acquisition and rehabilitation of a new Sanford Community Resource Center. The resource center will provide food and meals for low-income and food insecure households, financial counseling services and other community coordination of resources for area residents who face homelessness, and vocational training programs for food services and building maintenance employment.

Continuing the episode, King was joined by James Dlugos, President of St. Joseph’s College in Standish that is receiving $810,000 in Congressionally-Directed Spending to support healthcare workforce development by completing their Nursing Innovation Home Health Simulation Floor. The Center for Nursing Innovation will provide on-campus and online nursing education to increase Maine’s nursing workforce, specially focusing on SIM (simulation) nursing, that gives students a realistic nursing experience.

Senator King closed out the episode with Tim Crowley, President of Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isle that is receiving $1,567,000 in Congressionally-Directed Spending to expand the college's successful Mechanized Logging Operations program and their Electrician Training and Certification program. With these funds, NMCC will be able to enroll more students, purchase new equipment, and increase the number of newly trained workers in both fields.

Authorized in 2021 on a bipartisan basis, Congressionally-Directed Spending reflects funding priorities advocated for by a state’s Senators and Representatives, and is included in annual federal appropriations legislation to provide a specific amount of discretionary funding to a state, locality, or nonprofit organization for projects with demonstrated civic and community value. In the 2022 Omnibus Appropriations Package, which passed 68-31, Senator King secured funding for 93 Maine projects for a total of $137,252,598.

The “Inside Maine Podcast with Senator Angus King” is a 30-minute program that aims to help keep Maine people informed about issues of the day, how they affect life in the state, and how they factor into Senator King’s work as one of two independents in the U.S. Senate. Senator King’s podcast builds on his existing radio show that airs on Newsradio WGAN in Portland, Maine between 10 and 11 a.m. typically on last Saturday of the month.

To listen to the July edition of Senator King’s podcast click HERE or find it on Apple Podcasts.