During a hearing to review the Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for the U.S. Department of Labor, Senator Susan Collins urged Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer to reverse the decision to halt new enrollment at Maine’s two Job Corps centers and reconsider plans to eliminate the program entirely.
Senator Collins highlighted the success story of Adais Viruet-Torres, a graduate of Loring Job Corps Center and Husson University, who overcame homelessness and is now a nurse practitioner. “Job Corps literally saved her life,” Collins said, emphasizing the program’s impact on vulnerable youth.
In April, Collins had sent a letter to Secretary Chavez-DeRemer requesting that enrollment be resumed at Loring and Penobscot Job Corps Centers in Maine.
Secretary Chavez-DeRemer acknowledged concerns about sustainability: “We agree that this population is somebody we all care about… But we do have to look at it from a perspective, is it sustainable over time?” She mentioned that no final decision has been made but highlighted issues with costs and graduation rates. “It’s a $1.7 billion program with a 38% graduation rate,” she noted.
Chavez-DeRemer assured continued focus on serving this population responsibly: “We want them trained, up-skilled, re-skilled… I promise you we won’t forget this population.”
