Maine’s congressional delegation found some hope in the softer tone and unifying words offered by President Donald Trump in his Tuesday night speech to Congress.
From compromise on immigration to a renewed focus on economic growth, lawmakers latched on to presidential comments that lined up with their political agendas.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree said she felt “encouraged to hear President Trump touch on several things (Tuesday) where we can find agreement, including rebuilding our country’s infrastructure, lowering the cost of prescription drugs, strengthening trade and finding compromise on comprehensive immigration reform.”
Her Republican counterpart in the 2nd District, Bruce Poliquin, said on Facebook that Trump “noted the need to support economic growth by ensuring the government does not overly burden job-creators. I appreciate efforts to grow our economy, create jobs, protect Maine jobs and ensure we have fair trade.”
U.S. Sen. Angus King, an independent, said he didn’t agree with everything Trump advocated, especially his push to repeal the Affordable Care Act. But, he said, he was “encouraged to hear him express a desire to work with Congress to address several other critical issues, including fighting the opioid epidemic, lowering prescription drug prices and increasing access to affordable child care and paid family leave.”
King said in his statement that he hopes Congress “can work together in a bipartisan fashion, and in conjunction with the president, to advance these areas of consensus and achieve real, positive change for the American people.”
Maine’s senior senator, Republican Susan Collins, said she was encouraged by the “unifying, optimistic address.”
In a prepared statement, Collins said, “I was very pleased to hear the president call on members of both parties to come together on behalf of the American people and focus on creating jobs, growing our economy, helping our veterans and keeping our nation safe.”
Poliquin and Collins said they are looking forward to working with Trump.
“I look forward to working with the president and with members of Congress in both parties to tackle the important challenges we face, both at home and abroad,” Collins said.
Poliquin said in a prepared statement that he wants to work with the White House “to get our nation back on the right track and I will continue to do everything I can to help grow jobs in Maine, oppose unfair trade and make sure our veterans are given the services they were promised, have earned and deserve.”
He said his top priority is jobs, and he hailed Trump’s opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade deal shelved by the president during his first days in office.
“As I travel our 2nd District of Maine and meet with our families, small businesses and community leaders,” Poliquin said, “I hear loud and clear about the difficulties and challenges they’ve faced as a result of years of poor policies from Washington, unfair trade deals, fewer jobs and less economic opportunity.
“Since my first day in office, I have made protecting and growing jobs in Maine my No. 1 priority. Tonight, President Trump made it clear that growing our nation’s economy will be his top priority,” Poliquin said.
Pingree said one area that desperately needs attention is to update “our immigration policies to respond to our country’s evolving needs.”
“In particular, I hope we can keep families together and create a path to citizenship for young undocumented immigrants who’ve only known this country as their home,” she said.
Pingree expressed some doubt that Trump will prove as accommodating as his speech suggested.
“I’ll be watching closely to see if the president follows through on the promises he made,” she said. “His record so far makes me skeptical. President Trump has talked a lot about giving the country a brighter future, but his actions since taking office have shown that his true priorities aren’t in the best interests of the American people.”
President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday night.
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