$750,000 for UMaine Semiconductor Research Advanced by Senator Collins in Funding Bill
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced $750,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for the University of Maine (UMaine) System in the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Energy and Water Development appropriations bill. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.
“The University of Maine conducts important research on ways to strengthen Maine’s clean energy economy,” said Senator Collins. “This funding would be used to develop new materials that will advance decarbonization operations throughout New England, leading to job opportunities and reduced emissions. As the Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”
“In direct response to the needs of industry in the state and beyond, the R1 University of Maine has built world-class semiconductor research and development capabilities over the past three decades,” said UMaine Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Mauricio Pereira da Cunha. “We thank Senator Collins for appreciating this strong leadership and recognizing how our cutting-edge science and technology that works in high temperature harsh environments is vital for several demanding applications in the energy sector, such as in next-generation electric vehicles and high-temperature power plant environments.”
This funding would support UMaine’s efforts to develop new wide band gap semiconductor materials, which have been identified as essential for large-scale decarbonization efforts, such as in the operation of electric vehicles, and in harsh service condition environments, such as in nuclear power generation, hydrogen production, and industrial applications.
This funding advanced through the Committee’s markup of the FY24 Energy and Water Development appropriations bill—an important step that now allows the bill to be considered by the full Senate. Committee consideration of legislation is a key part of regular order, which helps our government function efficiently and deliver results for the people of Maine and America.
In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $500 million for hundreds of Maine projects for FY2022 and FY2023. As the Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.
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