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Congress Approves $660,000 for Houlton’s Region Two School of Applied Technology Secured by Senator Collins

The funding now heads to the President to be signed into law

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured $660,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for Houlton’s Region Two School of Applied Technology in the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) appropriations bill. The bill, which was included in legislation that passed the Senate today, now heads to the President to be signed into law.    

“The job training programs at Region Two School of Applied Technology in Houlton are proven, successful tools that help young people prepare for rewarding careers in high-demand fields,” said Senator Collins.  “This funding will provide critical updates to the school’s facilities, helping to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the students.  As Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I worked hard to secure this funding that will support vocational training in Northern Maine.”  

“Senator Collins has been an advocate for the trades in Aroostook County all her life.  Here at Region Two School of Applied Technology in Houlton, we have seen first-hand the compassion and commitment to improving career and technical education,” said Director of Region Two School of Applied Technology Ammie London.  “Senator Collins has been instrumental in assisting in the improvement of the infrastructure for the aging Region Two facility.  These improvements to the facility can only improve student learning and ensure the longevity of Region Two student success for years to come.”

The building is currently experiencing unreliable heating and ventilation systems and uses old, outdated equipment.  This funding will support operational updates and allow the school to continue to train Maine’s future workforce.

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 championingtargeted investments that willbenefit Maine communities.   

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