U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is “strongly opposed” to the U.S. Department of Labor’s pause of enrollment in Job Corps programs across the country.
The Department of Labor said the freeze was put into place in order to fit into President Donald Trump’s budget plans for 2026 and had previously been running at a deficit. That affects two federally funded job training programs in Limestone and Bangor, where new enrollments were paused in April.
There are more than 450 students placed in the program across the state. Collins has said that the Bangor and Limestone programs have greatly impacted the community and those involved.
“I strongly oppose the Department of Labor’s directive to pause operations at Job Corps centers in Maine and across the country,” Collins said in a Thursday statement. “Serving nearly 500 students in Maine, the Loring Job Corps Center and the Penobscot Job Corps Center have become important pillars of support for some of our most disadvantaged young adults.”
Collins has spoken out against the cuts at multiple times, including at a hearing last week where she pressed Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer on the administration’s moves. The Maine senator noted in a letter on Wednesday that the Senate Appropriations Committee, which she chairs, has already approved funding to enroll students in programs starting July 1.
There also are Job Corps locations in Augusta, Brewer and Portland that aren’t staffed.