Author: Senator Susan Collins

The U.S. Senate has a unique and longstanding tradition of open, unlimited debate.  The Senate rules, when not circumvented, are intended to ensure that the rights of the minority to debate and amend legislation are protected.  That is why 60 votes are generally required to end debate on major legislation.  It is also why the Senate so often operates by unanimous consent on less controversial measures, and reaches consent agreements between the parties to structure debate and amendments on more significant bills. Over the years, there have been abuses of the filibuster on both sides of the aisle, and I have…

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) may be the most powerful, and feared, federal agency in Washington.  It is absolutely essential that it always remain above politics, yet we discovered recently that the IRS is failing in this mission.  I am appalled by the abuses of power at the IRS that have been recently brought to light.  It is absolutely chilling that the IRS has admitted that it deliberately targeted conservative groups based on their apparent political ideology.  The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, an IRS watchdog, has released a damning report about the agency’s actions, and the Department of…

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) on Sunday called on President Barack Obama to apologize for the Internal Revenue Service’s politically-motivated attacks on conservative non-profit groups. “This is truly outrageous and it contributes to the profound distrust that the American people have in government,” said Collins on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “It is absolutely chilling that the IRS was singling out conservative groups for extra review, and I think it’s very disappointing that the president hasn’t personally condemned this and spoken out.” The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued an apology on Friday for targeting groups with “tea party” or “patriot”…

By Senator Susan Collins It is a privilege to represent Maine in the United States Senate, and I am deeply grateful for the trust the people of Maine have placed in me.  Public service is a responsibility that I take seriously.  In 2012, I reached a milestone by casting my 5,000thconsecutive roll-call vote. I have never missed a single roll-call vote, a record unique among current Senators (not including those just elected.) As we enter 2013, the economy and jobs remain my top priorities.  As a senior member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, I am committed to keeping our nation secure and our skilled…

By Senator Susan Collins As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I have always worked to support our troops and their families.  The 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), recently passed by the Senate, not only will strengthen our military, but also will benefit Maine’s economy and help create good-paying jobs at time when they are sorely needed. Maine’s contributions to our national security stretch from Kittery to Limestone and affect workers in every one of Maine’s 16 counties. The NDAA will provide essential training, equipment, and support to our troops.  The legislation will provide critical force protection…

By U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) Now that the elections are behind us, it is time for the campaigning to stop and the governing to begin.  One of the most pressing issues that Congress and the President must address immediately is the approaching “fiscal cliff,” the combination of deep, indiscriminate spending cuts and huge tax increases set to take effect in January. Time is running short.  That is why I am deeply disappointed that the Majority Leader has decided to recess for the entire week at Thanksgiving.  Americans want us to be working to find a responsible way to avoid the “fiscal cliff.”…

By Senator Susan Collins For more than two centuries, young Americans have left the comfort and security of home in order to preserve our freedom and to extend the blessings of freedom to others. Veterans Day is a solemn anniversary– a day set aside not to celebrate victory in a great battle, but to honor the sacrifice that brought peace. The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 was not marked by the roar of cannon. Rather, it was the moment the guns were silenced by courage, devotion to duty, and a commitment to freedom. The virtues that brought…

By Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) The Internet was born in October 1969, and for the first half of its life was just a tiny hamlet of academic and government computers networked in a way that made it easy for researchers to share their work—a digital Mayberry where people left their doors unlocked because there were few strangers to fear. But this small-town architecture that remains the core of the Internet’s foundation is cracking under the demands placed on it as it has grown into a global megalopolis that touches almost every part of our daily lives. We use it for…

Summer in Maine is a favorite time of year, and the Fourth of July is always a joy.  With parades, picnics, and fun with family and friends, America throws itself a birthday party every year. This year, as you look up toward the sky to watch the glorious fireworks, think about the founding generation of Americans who risked all to overcome tyranny so that they, and all the generations to come, could live in freedom.   What is today our great State of Maine played a pivotal role in securing American liberty, and summer is a perfecttime to take a road trip to fully…

column by Senator Susan Collins. “Let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation’s gratitude — the soldier’s and sailor’s widow and orphan.” These words were written by Union General John Logan, who in 1868 designated a day in which the graves of Civil War soldiers would be decorated on a day that is known today as Memorial Day. Memorial Day is a time of solemn remembrance of loved ones who have perished for the sake of our nation, and gratitude for the…