Susan Collins

Rule Changes

Voted yes on the June 23 passage, was the only Republican to back the July joint resolution, and supported the Sept. 24 measure

The House passed a war powers resolution 215-208 on June 3. The Senate followed 50-48 in late June, the first time both chambers approved such a measure in this conflict. President Trump ignored it, the ceasefire collapsed in July, and the Senate rejected the latest resolution 49-50 on Sept. 24 as the war passed 200 days.

Updated Sep 25

Rule Changes

Pressing for agency-wide body camera deployment

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says it now has enough body cameras to equip every officer and agent. The announcement follows five years of delays, a February count of 3,000 cameras for 13,000 officers, and more than two dozen shootings as ICE arrests climbed under the Trump administration.

Updated Sep 3

Rule Changes

First Republican senator to publicly oppose the fund

The Trump administration dropped its $1.8 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund on June 1, less than two weeks after creating it. Three forces killed it: a court freeze in Alexandria, a Senate Republican revolt that stalled the reconciliation bill, and a meeting between House Speaker Mike Johnson and Trump. No claims were ever paid.

Updated Jun 2

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 May 23

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 May 22

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

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

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