Maine Lawmakers Call for Defeat of Federal Legislation Threatening Northern Maine's Economy

AUGUSTA – Assistant Senate Majority Leader Troy Jackson (D-Allagash) and State Representative Charles Kenneth Theriault (D-Madawaska) today called on the leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives to drop provisions in a pending piece of legislation that would threaten Maine’s most vulnerable residents while devastating northern Maine’s economy.

“The measure puts over 600 Maine jobs at Twin Rivers Paper Mill at risk,” said Senator Jackson, who has submitted a joint resolution formally calling for the rejection of the provisions.  “At a time when we are trying to grow the economy in Aroostook County, it is unconscionable that Congress would consider something that would kill jobs.”

The federal legislation, H.R. 1919, includes a provision which would mandate electronic labeling for pharmaceutical drugs, meaning that information on dosage, side effects, and other critical information would be available on-line only and would not be provided in hard copy with the drugs themselves.

Twin Rivers Paper Mill is the leading producer of uncoated printing papers used as pharmaceutical inserts in North America, a product the legislation would eliminate. The mill, located in Madawaska, employs 1,200 people in Saint John Valley, including 600 Maine workers.

“This legislation is a direct assault on the mill and the northern Maine economy,” said Representative Theriault, who is also a retired papermaker. “I urge Congress to reject this bill, not just because of the impact on Maine jobs, but because this bill is dangerous. Senior citizens are not likely to use the Internet to get this critical information, putting them at risk of misusing their prescriptions.”

The House bill is schedule for a vote on Monday evening, while the Senate legislation is still pending and does not include the provision in question.

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