Chellie Pingree was elected to Congress in 2008, becoming the first woman to represent Maine’s 1st Congressional District in Washington. As Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Chellie is a leading voice in Congress for addressing the climate crisis, supporting the arts, protecting public lands, and defending the federal programs that strengthen communities across Maine and the country. She also serves on the House Agriculture Committee and the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, where she draws on her experience as a certified organic farmer to champion sustainable, organic, and locally focused farming, while supporting the full diversity of American agriculture. Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ © 2026 Heather Cox Richardson. All Rights Reserved. All content in this video is protected by copyright. Reproduction, distribution, or re-uploading, in whole or in part, without prior written consent is prohibited.