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Susan Collins

Susan Collins

United States Senator

Appears in 5 stories

Born: 1952 (age 73 years), Caribou, ME
Party: Republican Party
Spouse: Thomas Daffron (m. 2012)
Books: Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union in the world economy and Effective Communication for a Career in Law Enforcement
Education: St. Lawrence University (1975) and Caribou Performing Arts Center

Notable Quotes

"I'm a strong supporter of the NSF, which provides about a quarter of federal funding for basic science research." — Floor remarks, January 2026

"This is a fiscally responsible package that restrains spending while providing essential federal investments that will spur scientific research necessary to maintain U.S. competitiveness." — Senate floor, January 2026

This funding package represents a carefully negotiated, fiscally responsible, bipartisan and bicameral package of Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bills that are vital to the safety, security, and economic well-being of all Americans.

Stories

Congress rejects Trump's historic science cuts

Rule Changes

Led bipartisan negotiations on science funding package

For 80 years, federal science funding enjoyed bipartisan protection. Trump's fiscal year 2026 budget proposed ending that consensus, calling for cuts of 57% to the National Science Foundation (NSF), 47% to NASA's science programs, and 40% to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Updated 6 days ago

Congress races to complete FY2026 funding after record shutdown

Rule Changes

Secured enactment of all remaining FY2026 bills except DHS CR

Congress hasn't completed all twelve annual spending bills on time since 1996. Fiscal Year 2026 saw a 43-day shutdown from October to November 2025, the longest in U.S. history, that furloughed 900,000 workers and cost $15 billion weekly.

Updated 7 days ago

The FY2026 budget battle: from 43-day shutdown to bipartisan breakthrough

Money Moves

Secured 71-29 Senate passage of five-bill package; negotiating DHS reforms through February 13

The House passed H.R. 7148 on February 3 by a narrow 217-214 vote, ending a brief weekend partial shutdown and funding Defense, Labor-HHS-Education, Transportation-HUD, State, and Financial Services through September 30, 2026. DHS funding lapsed February 13 after talks over immigration enforcement reforms collapsed, triggering a second partial shutdown covering only DHS agencies: TSA, Coast Guard, and FEMA.

Updated May 20

The ACA subsidies cliff

Rule Changes

Bipartisan Senate talks collapsed without deal

The House passed a three-year extension of ACA subsidies January 8, 2026, by 230-196, with 17 Republicans joining Democrats after a discharge petition bypassed Johnson's opposition. The subsidies had expired December 31, 2025, more than doubling premiums for 22 million Americans—92% of marketplace enrollees. A 60-year-old couple earning $85,000 now faces $22,600 more annually in premiums.

Updated May 19

States recruit beauty professionals as frontline domestic violence spotters

Rule Changes

Co-sponsor of federal SALONS Stories Act

Maryland became the sixth state to require barbers and cosmetologists to complete domestic violence awareness training before renewing their licenses. The one-hour mandate took effect January 1, 2026, turning an estimated 50,000 beauty professionals into potential first responders for abuse victims who may reveal bruises on their necks during routine appointments. The movement reached Congress in February 2025 when bipartisan legislators introduced the SALONS Stories Act, which would provide federal funding incentives for states adopting similar requirements.

Updated May 19