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The COVID-19
Edition for Monday, July 13, 2020 |
To view this edition of Impact online,
click here. |
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Welcome to
your COVID-19 Impact newsletter! |
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As a valued member of
the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, we plan to stay in touch with you
several times each week through emails like this one and on Facebook and Twitter, until the pandemic passes. We
intend to provide you with the latest state and federal information, as well
as highlighting the creativity and innovation that is occuring here in Maine
during this unpredictable and rapidly changing time. To assist you in
navigating the uncertainties ahead, we have created a diverse and
comprehensive collection of web-based resources to help you take care of yourself and your family, your employees, your business, and your community. |
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Do you have a question? ASK THE EXPERTS. |
We are here to
help in any way we can! |
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July 14: Don't
forget to VOTE tomorrow! |
Your Vote Strengthens Maine's
Economy! |
Before each election, the
Secretary of State's office provides information about the questions
appearing on each ballot. Currently two referendum questions will appear on
the July 14, 2020, Special Referendum Election Ballot. Each question is
discussed in detail in the Maine
Citizen's Guide to the Referendum Election
(PDF / Word) and a Treasurer's
Statement, which includes the
referendum questions; the legislation each question represents; a summary of
the intent and content of the legislation; an explanation of the significance
of a "yes" or "no" vote; an analysis of the debt service on the bond issues;
and, an estimate of the fiscal impact of each referendum question on state
revenues, appropriations and allocations.
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Question 1: Bond Issue Do you favor a
$15,000,000 bond issue to invest in high-speed internet infrastructure for
unserved and underserved areas, to be used to match up to $30,000,000 in
federal, private, local or other funds? |
Question
2: Bond Issue Do you favor a
$105,000,000 bond issue for improvement of highways and bridges statewide and
for multimodal facilities or equipment related to transit, freight and
passenger railroads, aviation, ports, harbors, marine transportation and
active transportation projects, to be used to match an estimated $275,000,000
in federal and other funds? |
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Maine public
advocate: Vote "Yes" on 1 to Invest in Better Broadband for Rural Maine In a special
op-ed
to the Portland Press Herald, Barry Hobbins, the Public Advocate of Maine and
former chair of the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee during his 25
years of service as a state senator and state representative, noted that "we
need to think big and get the policy right." On July 14, Maine voters can
approve $15 million for badly needed rural broadband expansion through a bond
issue. Voting "yes" is a step in the right direction, though far more needs
to be done to extend broadband across Maine, which state officials estimate
will cost $150 million to $450 million. Maine's rural broadband challenge
requires a much larger effort, leveraging state and federal funds, plus private
investment, to wire our far-flung communities. |
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A YES vote on
Questions 1 and 2 - expanding broadband and |
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As COVID-19 Slows Down Bus
& Passenger Ferry Industry, Collins & Reed Introduce Bill to Help
Save Jobs |
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The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected America's bus, motorcoach, and passenger ferry industries, which serve as an important link in our nation's transportation network that employs more than 100,000 individuals in Maine and throughout the country. To help overcome these obstacles, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jack Reed (D-RI) introduced the Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services (CERTS) Act of 2020, a bipartisan bill that would provide $10 billion in emergency economic relief funding, in the form of grants (no less than 50 percent of total funding) and other economic assistance. The funding would be distributed through the U.S. Department of the Treasury to motorcoach operators, school bus companies, U.S. flag passenger vessel operators, and other U.S. transportation service providers designated by the Secretary of the Treasury in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation. |
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Understanding Communications: Tuesday, July 14, 2020 |
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In
this webinar, we will discuss how messages and marketing need to change in
order to successfully connect with target audiences. We'll look at how brain
chemistry influences decision making and simple but effective ways to
communicate. Hosted
by: Maine State Chamber of Commerce | Presented
by: Paula Mahony, President & Chief Strategist, Words@Work |
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Additional
webinars will be forthcoming, and sponsorship
opportunities are available. Registration or general questions can be
directed to Angela Arno, director of programs and events for the Maine State
Chamber of Commerce, by emailing [email protected] or
calling (207) 623-4568, ext. 104. |
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Golden, Colleagues
Introduce Bill to Hold China Accountable, Protect Americans During COVID-19 |
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Congressman
Jared Golden and a group of 13 members of Congress have introduced
new legislation requiring the U.S. government to identify, analyze, and
combat efforts by the Chinese government to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic. The
Preventing China from Exploiting COVID-19 Act would mandate that the Director
of National Intelligence (DNI) investigate the ways in which the Chinese
government intends to seize on the COVID-19 pandemic to promote its interests
on the national stage, evaluate risks to the United States, and provide
policymakers with the information they need to address and counter Chinese
actions when necessary. The DNI would report their findings to Congress. |
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Collins, King Join
Bipartisan Group in Introducing Bill to Bolster Semiconductor Manufacturing
in U.S. |
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Legislation would support microchip manufacturers like ON
Semiconductor and Texas Instruments in South Portland that employ hundreds of
Mainers |
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Last week, U.S. Senators Susan
Collins and Angus King joined a bipartisan group of Senators in introducing
the American
Foundries Act of 2020, a bill that supports the production and
development of microelectronics in the United States. The Senators aim to
include the
bill as an amendment in this year's National Defense Authorization Act. "Semiconductors are not only essential to keeping our country on the cutting edge of technology, but are also vital to maintaining our national security," said Senator Collins. "This industry supports hundreds of good-paying, high-tech manufacturing jobs at two factories in South Portland. Although the U.S. semiconductor industry has been an international leader for decades, aggressive incentives by foreign governments and unfair business practices have eroded America's dominance in this crucial sector. The targeted investments provided in our bill would help spur the research and development necessary to keep U.S. semiconductor companies at the forefront of the industry." "America's technological prowess is a key source of economic innovation, and a vital building block of our national security - we cannot and must not undercut either by outsourcing the manufacturing of semiconductors," said Senator King. "We need to be investing in these capabilities, to ensure that we are able to remain leaders in the world of microelectronics and to support good, high-paying jobs in communities across the country." |
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Collins, King Announce
More than $200,000 to Jackson Lab for Drug Addiction Research |
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U.S. Senators Susan Collins
and Angus King announced that The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) has received
$212,500 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for substance
use disorder research. This funding has been awarded through HHS'
National Institute on Drug Abuse. "The important work being done at Jackson Lab is making great strides to conquer drug use and addiction disorders that affect far too many families in Maine," said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. "We welcome this continued investment to help support Jackson Lab's efforts to understand, prevent, and treat substance use and protect our communities." "Time is of the essence with addiction, and support like this is crucial to advancing much-needed research," said LuAnn Ballesteros, vice president, external and government affairs, The Jackson Laboratory. "We're very grateful for the support of Senators Collins and King and the National Institute on Drug Abuse. This is an important step in propelling our work forward to help Mainers, and people around the world impacted by addiction." Researchers at The Jackson Laboratory are leading efforts to advance our understanding of the genetic factors involved in individuals' vulnerability to substance use disorders. They use mouse models to investigate the genetics underlying the differences in addictive behaviors. Their work has identified genetic variants associated with addiction susceptibilities, providing vital insight into the biological basis for why some humans are at high risk for addiction. In 2019, overdoses claimed the life of more than one Mainer per day, making this one of the top causes of death in the state. Nationally, there were more than 67,000 drug overdose deaths in 2018. |
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New Report Analyzes
Combined Economic Contribution of Maine Colleges and Universities |
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Maine's 38 colleges and
universities generate a total
annual economic contribution - including the spending of students and
visitors, and multiplier effects - of an estimated $4.5 billion in output,
31,267 full- and part-time jobs, and $1.7 billion in labor income, according
to a recent report by researchers in the University of Maine School of
Economics, and the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center. The report, "Economic
Contribution of Colleges and Universities in Maine," was produced by
research associate Megan Bailey, assistant professor Andrew Crawley, and
professor Todd Gabe. In it, the researchers analyze the collective statewide
economic contribution of the public and private colleges and universities in
Maine that educate 72,605 students, employ a combined 14,621 non-student
workers and generate about $2.2 billion in annual revenue. |
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Hear how Maine's Business Leaders
Dealt with 'The Day that Changed Everything' |
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Shedding light on an all-too-familiar
challenge, Mainebiz on Monday launched a series of podcasts in which top
business leaders recount how they've adapted to major change - sometimes
overnight. "The
Day that Changed Everything" premiered this morning with an episode
featuring Kevin Hancock, CEO of Hancock Lumber Co., interviewed by Mainebiz
Publisher Donna Brassard. In the 30-minute episode,
Kevin Hancock discussed what happens when the CEO of a multimillion-dollar
company finds he, literally, has no voice. In 2010, Hancock was diagnosed
with spasmodic dysphonia, an incurable neurological condition that causes
spasms in the vocal cords and is made worse by stress. Hancock worried
whether the condition would prevent him from continuing as the leader of his
sixth-generation, family-owned business. A decade later, it's clear he has
succeeded. A new installment of "The Day
That Changed Everything" goes live every two weeks, featuring other Maine
business leaders who found their life, their business or their world upended.
In discussions with Mainebiz staff, these CEOs and senior executives reveal
how they responded, and how upheaval can ultimately lead to unexpected
success. |
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To advertise in
the COVID-19
Impact, please contact Melody Rousseau |
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Thank you for
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