We write regarding the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln and mounting evidence that conditions aboard the carrier have deteriorated to the point that the safety and wellbeing of its crew could be compromised.

Maine’s lobstermen are some of the most determined and resilient members of Maine’s workforce.

Maine people are not interested in personal, retaliatory politics. They are focused on the high cost of goods here at home.

The on-again/off-again trade talks between the U.S. and Canada lead to higher costs, risk, and uncertainty for Maine businesses.

If the President’s misguided trade war further escalates, the processed lobsters could be taxed again when they are shipped back from Canada to the United States.

The majority party must listen to the industry leaders here in Maine, put pressure on the President, and move forward with an economic policy that works for us and not against us.

Now this new escalation of the trade war with Canada – ‘the dumbest trade war’ according to the Wall Street Journal – is going to make things even worse.

The Administration must consider the negative impact tariffs would have on Maine businesses.

If the Administration proceeds with these tariffs, they will increase costs for Maine families, as most businesses will have no choice but to pass on the tariffs to their customers through higher prices.

I think what happened is too many of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents were sent out there without proper vetting and without proper training.

Maine has had enough of this unending trade whiplash.

As the Secretary of Defense, you are accountable to the men and women who serve our nation. It is time for you to demonstrate leadership, rather than peddle excuses. The servicemembers we send into harm’s way deserve nothing less.

I said to the Secretary was, we want a full, transparent and open investigation of this matter.

Our sailors and Marines signed up to serve and to be treated with respect. They did not sign up to be kept at sea indefinitely with no announced return date and, by multiple accounts, without reliable food, hot water, or working plumbing.

Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero should be alive today.

More than a month later, there are still so many basic questions that remain unanswered by ICE and the Trump administration.

The Downeaster is an essential transportation link for the people of Maine, connecting communities, supporting our economy, and providing a reliable alternative to getting in the car or boarding an airplane.

Relocating Portland’s station to the mainline is a commonsense investment that will mean shorter trips, fewer delays, and better connections for passengers traveling throughout Maine and New England.