Congratulating Chris Hastedt on Her Retirement

Floor Speech

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Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a dedicated advocate and leader in my state who is retiring after several decades working to improve the lives of her fellow citizens. For nearly fifty years, Christine (``Chris'') Hastedt has worked tirelessly to further equity, economic security, and access to higher education--among many other things--for all Mainers.

At the start of her career, Chris worked as a paralegal at Pine Tree Legal Assistance, a nonprofit organization which provides free, civil legal assistance to low-income people in Maine. Through her dedication and ingenuity, Chris proved to be fearless and deeply effective at expanding access to legal representation for countless people. Chris' years with Pine Tree were only the first of her forty-eight celebrated years as a respected and well-known force in the Maine State House. During my years at the State House, I relied on Chris for accurate information, strategic thinking and passion for all of the right causes. Many of our successes during that era were due to her assistance and persistence.

In 1996, Chris co-founded Maine Equal Justice, a nonprofit civil legal aid and economic justice organization. Under her guidance as Senior Policy Advisor, Maine Equal Justice has empowered people to better understand laws and independently navigate government systems to support their needs. By sharing her resources and policy knowledge, Chris has established coalitions among government agencies, policymakers, experts, academics, and national partners. Chris has consistently led with empathy and a distinct understanding of how to work with people across all backgrounds and life experiences.

In addition, Chris has dedicated her time to making higher education and workforce training more accessible for Mainers with low incomes. By advocating for programs such as Parents as Scholars, the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program, and Higher Opportunity for Pathways to Employment, Chris has helped thousands of Maine people reach their goals by expanding access to postsecondary education.

Chris Hastedts' nearly half-century as a uniquely dedicated advocate makes me very proud to represent her and the State of Maine in Congress. I wish Chris the best in her retirement, and I wholeheartedly thank her for her many years of influential work.

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