{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Republican\", state = \"ME\" and year = 2026 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senators-collins-king-welcome-bangors-selection-as-one-of-four-potential-locations-for-new-kc-46-squadron", "Senators Collins, King Welcome Bangor\u2019s Selection as One of Four Potential Locations for New KC-46 Squadron", "2026-09-29", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Angus King, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today welcomed the Air Force\u2019s decision to advance the Bangor Air National Guard Base as a potential location for a new KC-46A air refueling squadron. The two Senators received news moments ago that Bangor is one of four finalists from an initial field of 14 Air National Guard bases.\n\nSenators Collins and King were briefed on the decision by Mr. Michael Saunders, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Energy, Installations, and Environment and Major General Bryony Terrell, Deputy Director of the Air National Guard.\n\n\u201cThis announcement from the Air Force is an important step toward equipping the MAINEiacs with the advanced aircraft they need to carry out their critical mission,\u201d said Senators Collins and King. \u201cBangor\u2019s strategic location and the proven excellence of the 101st Air Refueling Wing make a compelling case for bringing the KC-46 to Maine. We will continue to press for Bangor\u2019s selection as the selection process continues.\u201d\n\nIf selected, Bangor would gain significantly more advanced refueling capabilities as the KC-46A would replace, over time, the aging KC-135 Stratotankers assigned to the 101st Air Refueling Wing. The first aircraft would be expected to arrive in 2030.\n\nThe remaining finalists will undergo further site analysis and evaluation. A decision for a preferred location on KC-46A Main Operating Base 9 is expected in the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2027.\n\nSenator Collins secured $50 million in the Fiscal Year 2025 full-year continuing resolution for a universal fuel cell hangar in Bangor capable of accommodating the KC-46A, strengthening the base\u2019s readiness for future aircraft. She also secured nearly $9.6 million in Fiscal Year 2024 military construction funding for Maine National Guard projects in Bangor and Saco. Additionally, of the more than $428.6 million in Congressionally Directed Spending Senator Collins secured for Maine in Fiscal Year 2026 funding bills, $2.5 million will support a new aircraft maintenance and ground equipment facility at Bangor Air National Guard Base.\n\nAs a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), and Chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, Senator King has been a steadfast supporter of the armed forces, including Bangor\u2019s 101st Air Refueling Wing. In a SASC hearing, he touted the \u201cMAINEiacs\u201d and reminded then-Chief of Staff of the Air Force of the strategic importance of Bangor Air National Guard. He secured key provisions in the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to help protect the Maine Air National Guard \u2014 guaranteeing that as the Air Force modernizes the tanker fleet, it replaces older aircraft on a one-for-one basis \u2014 and ensure support for all branches of the military to make sure that servicemembers can continue providing best in class services to protect the \u2018territory of the brave.\u2019\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-30T10:57:52Z", "2026-09-30T10:59:04Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-talks-affordability-energy-costs-and-propublica-on-all-things-with-kim-strassel", "Senator Collins Talks Affordability, Energy Costs, and ProPublica on \u201cAll Things with Kim Strassel\u201d", "2026-09-23", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Full video: Click HERE to watch and HERE to download.\n\nOn Affordability: Click HERE to watch and HERE to download.\n\nOn Lowering Energy Costs: Click HERE to watch and HERE to download.\n\nOn ProPublica Article: Click HERE to watch and HERE to download.\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins joined The Wall Street Journal\u2019s \u201cAll Things with Kim Strassel\u201d podcast to discuss a variety of topics, including how the Senate should address affordability issues before the October recess, her bipartisan INSULIN Act, lowering energy costs in Maine, and a recent article from ProPublica.\n\nOn Affordability:\n\nKim Strassel:\n\nThe Senate was supposed to be in session until October and now looks as if it may close shop early, cut loose members, send them home. There's lots of possibilities being floated in the news: possibility of permitting reform, of a college athletes bill, of a vote on data center costs, a war powers resolution on Iran, maybe some confirmations. What, if anything, do you see actually happening before the Senate leaves? Or is the answer none of the above?\n\nSen. Collins:\n\nThat's a really hard question to answer. Right now, we're on the college sports bill, the Name, Image, and Likeness bill. Whether we'll be able to complete that, I really don't know. But from my perspective, we should be taking up a permitting bill. We've been talking about that for a long time. That would make such a difference in providing more affordable housing more quickly, more energy more quickly. It would make a difference ultimately in projects that would help lower costs. And I think that's what our focus should be. I've also suggested that we bring up the Military Construction-Veterans Administration bill. That's a funding bill that the Appropriations Committee has some pretty good bipartisan consensus for. The House has passed its version. And I think it would be important to send a signal to those who are serving us in the military, and also to those who have served us, our veterans, that we've taken care of a billion-dollar gap in veterans\u2019 health care. So, that would be a second priority for me. And third, I'd love to see a bill that Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and I have been working on for a long time that would place a cap on the price of insulin, a drug that's been around for more than a hundred years. And it would make a real difference if we cap the cost of insulin for those who receive insurance through the workplace. It's already been capped under the Medicare program at $35 a month. The average price is often $150 a month. So, that's an area where I think we could make a real difference\u2014in health care costs.\n\nOn Lowering Energy Costs:\n\nKim Strassel:\n\nAs you go out and you're in Maine, how are you trying to phrase that to voters\u2014about what is the reason why they should return you in particular to the Senate, but want Republicans to stay in control?\n\nSen. Collins:\n\nWell, I would go back to the cost of energy, because that is a huge issue in my state. I just today have asked the president to release oil from the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve. That's sort of like a strategic petroleum reserve for the Northeast. That would help put downward pressure on prices and it would increase supply in the Northeast. I also have joined with Jack Reed, the Democratic Senator from Rhode Island, in asking the Administration to release the low-income home heating program money right off. Winter is here; it's coming. It's right around the corner. We're filling our oil tanks right now. Low-income families and seniors on limited incomes need that assistance. We need to expand the weatherization program so that you don't have to spend as much to heat your home and stay warm in the winter. So, energy costs are the number one issue that people are expressing real worry about to me. I think those are three immediate steps that we could do, permitting in the long term. I would note that when President Biden canceled the XL pipeline, which would've brought in oil from Canada to the United States, that was an enormous mistake, enormous. How I wish that that pipeline, which would be completed about now, I believe, were bringing more oil to us. We've got to become energy independent.\n\nOn ProPublica Article:\n\nKim Strassel:\n\nSo, let's talk about your race in Maine. You are no stranger to some very tough races there, being a Republican in Maine. And here we go again, including, and I'm just going to start with this, some nasty politics. And to that point, I'm going to go right at it. A remarkable story that just came out in which ProPublica regurgitates these seven-year-old claims made by a convicted felon who somehow argued your office was engaged in corruption. I should note that no less than the Biden FBI came out five years ago and said it had looked at all angles of this particular situation that this individual is involved in\u2014said it was \u201ctotally false\u201d that there had been wrongdoing by you or those who worked for you. Why is this story coming out now and what is going on here?\n\nSen. Collins:\n\nWell, it's clearly a partisan hit job. And I've got to say, I do not understand how anyone would take the word of a felon who's been convicted twice, twice, two separate cases, of five counts of money laundering, counts of bank fraud, false submissions to the FEC. He is a convicted liar. When you contrast that to my decades of honest public service with the utmost integrity, it is so offensive. As you pointed out, the Biden-led Justice Department and FBI totally cleared my office, my campaign, and me five years ago of these seven-year-old allegations. And the FBI said again today that these are completely false. And it is so offensive. But clearly the timing is not coincidental. This is a smear job. And as someone who has always prided herself on serving with integrity, it really offends me. And I'm offended for my staff too, both on the campaign and in the personal office. So, shame on ProPublica for taking the words of a twice convicted felon over my office campaign staff and me\u2014it's disgraceful.\n\nKim Strassel:\n\nWell, there you have it. That is from Susan Collins right there\u2014the definitive comment on that story.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-24T09:44:48Z", "2026-09-24T09:45:52Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senators-collins-king-call-on-president-trump-to-release-home-heating-oil-from-northeast-reserve-as-prices-surge", "Senators Collins, King Call on President Trump to Release Home Heating Oil from Northeast Reserve as Prices Surge", "2026-09-22", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King sent a letter to President Trump urging him to release supply from the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve to help protect Mainers from high costs as the cold weather months approach.\n\nAccording to the Maine Department of Energy Resources\u2019 most recent weekly fuel survey, statewide heating oil prices have increased by 74 percent compared to this time last year. It now costs approximately $675 more to fill a standard heating oil tank than it did last year, imposing a significant hardship on the half of Maine households that heat their homes with fuel oil.\n\n\u201cWe write to request that you release home heating oil from the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve to protect Mainers from the very high prices that are imposing a difficult financial burden,\u201d Senators Collins and King wrote. \u201cYou ordered a release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve earlier this year to help address rising costs, and we believe the same urgency now applies to the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe U.S. Energy Information Administration\u2019s (EIA) latest Short-Term Energy Outlook finds that U.S. distillate fuel inventories, which include home heating oil, fell below the five-year range in April and are expected to remain below the 2021\u20132025 low through the end of 2026 and most of 2027,\u201d they continued. \u201cAccording to the EIA, \u2018Low inventories may also contribute to higher prices for residential heating oil in the Northeastern United States.\u2019\u201d\n\n\u201cFurther, the conflict in the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine War have prevented additional heating oil from reaching the global market. Maine is particularly vulnerable to global supply shocks because our state imports much of our home heating oil. With both domestic and international supplies running low, a release from the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve would help ease these prices,\u201d the Senators concluded.\n\nClick here to read their letter in full.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-23T09:45:16Z", "2026-09-23T09:46:14Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-visits-nichols-inc-manufacturing-facility-in-portland", "Senator Collins Visits Nichols Inc. Manufacturing Facility in Portland", "2026-09-21", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nPORTLAND, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins visited Nichols Inc. in Portland to tour the factory floor and speak with employees and company leadership. Nichols\u2019 200,000-square-foot Portland facility employs approximately 225 people and produces pumps, valves, gears, and other precision components.\n\n\u201cI enjoyed touring Nichols\u2019 Portland facility, speaking with its highly skilled employees, and learning more about the innovative manufacturing processes they use to produce precision components. Nichols\u2019 advanced manufacturing operations are supporting hundreds of good jobs in Southern Maine and are an excellent example of the skill and expertise of Maine\u2019s manufacturing workforce,\u201d said Senator Collins.\n\nNichols uses manufacturing processes including additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, sintering, and metal injection molding. The company was founded in 1904 in Waltham, Massachusetts, and opened its Portland operation in 1968. Nichols also operates a manufacturing facility in South Portland.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-22T09:42:49Z", "2026-09-22T09:44:35Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-attends-blue-mass-in-lewiston", "Senator Collins Attends Blue Mass in Lewiston", "2026-09-20", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nLEWISTON, ME \u2013 This morning, U.S. Senator Susan Collins attended the 2026 Blue Mass at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Lewiston. Bishop James Ruggieri celebrated the Mass and was joined by priests and deacons from throughout the Diocese. The gathering paid tribute to the unwavering dedication and acts of selflessness exhibited by local, state, and federal law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency responders.\n\n\u201cWhen crises or disasters strike, it is our law enforcement officers, firefighters, and EMTs who are the first to arrive, fearlessly rushing into danger to save lives. The annual Blue Mass serves as a special occasion dedicated to honoring these heroes who courageously put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThank you to Bishop James Ruggieri for celebrating the Mass with those gathered today. And to all the first responders throughout our state, thank you for committing your lives to ensuring the safety of others. It is a debt we can truly never repay.\u201d\n\nThe Blue Mass, referring to the blue uniforms worn by so many public safety personnel, dates to 1934 and is a venerable tradition in many dioceses. The Mass was planned and organized by diocesan officials and representatives from local, county, and state public safety agencies. The events of Sept. 11, 2001, served as the impetus for the Diocese of Portland to institute the Blue Mass in Maine.\n\nLast year, Senator Collins attended the Blue Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-21T10:25:24Z", "2026-09-21T10:26:54Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-announces-new-balance-contract-to-produce-athletic-shoes-in-maine-for-the-us-military", "Senator Collins Announces New Balance Contract to Produce Athletic Shoes in Maine for the U.S. Military", "2026-09-18", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced that New Balance has been awarded a contract by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to provide athletic shoes for members of the U.S. military. The shoes will be produced at the New Balance Central Maine facility in Skowhegan.\n\nUnder the three-year contract, DLA could purchase up to 540,000 pairs of New Balance athletic shoes, with a minimum purchase of 22,000 pairs annually.\n\n\u201cNew Balance is a great American company, and it is terrific news that more of our nation\u2019s servicemembers will now be outfitted with high-quality athletic shoes made right here in the United States. Maintaining a strong American footwear supply chain is important to our national security and helps ensure that our servicemembers have access to the best equipment when they need it most. I have worked closely with New Balance for years to support American footwear manufacturing and to strengthen the domestic industrial base that our military depends on. This contract builds on that longstanding partnership and is a major win for New Balance, its hardworking employees in Maine, and for American manufacturing,\u201d said Senator Collins.\n\n\u201cNew Balance is proud to have been awarded this contract to provide our U.S. service members with our specialized MADE in USA 0430 athletic footwear for basic training,\u201d said Kevin McCoy, Vice President for MADE at New Balance. \u201cSenator Collins\u2019 strong leadership and relentless support for American manufacturing have helped to ensure our country\u2019s military recruits will receive high-quality athletic shoes produced by our skilled associates in Central Maine.\u201d\n\nSenator Collins has long worked to support New Balance and American footwear manufacturing. She and other members of the Maine Delegation successfully secured a provision in the Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act requiring the Department of Defense to provide military recruits with American-made athletic footwear in accordance with the Berry Amendment. The provision allowed domestic manufacturers such as New Balance to compete for military footwear contracts. In 2018, the DLA awarded New Balance a $17.3 million contract to provide American-made athletic shoes to military recruits, which were also produced in Maine.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/signed-into-law-senators-collins-bennet-bipartisan-bill-to-allow-early-childhood-educators-to-deduct-out-of-pocket-purchases-of-classroom-supplies", "SIGNED INTO LAW: Senators Collins, Bennet Bipartisan Bill to Allow Early Childhood Educators to Deduct Out-of-Pocket Purchases of Classroom Supplies", "2026-09-18", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Michael Bennet today celebrated their Supporting Early-Childhood Educators\u2019 Deductions (SEED) Act being signed into law. This legislation expands the federal tax deduction for out-of-pocket classroom supply purchases that Senator Collins authored to early childhood educators.\n\n\u201cIn Maine and across the country, we are fortunate to have so many dedicated educators who work hard to ensure that every child has a learning environment that is safe, welcoming, and enriching. Despite tight personal budgets, it is truly remarkable how often teachers use money out of their own pockets to purchase classroom supplies for their students,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cAs the author of the original tax credit for K-12 teachers, I am delighted to help expand this benefit to pre-K educators. I thank Senator Bennet for his partnership in this effort to provide early childhood educators with well-deserved tax relief, and I am proud that our bill has now become law.\u201d\n\n\u201cEarly childhood educators should be able to claim the same tax deduction available to elementary and secondary school teachers,\u201d said Senator Bennet. \u201cI am glad that this legislation has been signed into law because as the former Superintendent of Denver Public Schools, I know firsthand how often educators dip into their own pockets to provide school supplies for their students. This law will end an unfair double standard and ensures that those who teach our youngest kids are supported.\u201d\n\nResearch shows that educators spend an average of $895 annually on supplies for their students. Yet, early childhood educators previously could not deduct those out-of-pocket expenses.\n\nThe SEED Act corrects this disparity and extends tax relief to the teachers working with America\u2019s youngest learners. The bill expands the above-the-line $350 educator expense deduction, established for K-12 teachers in 2002 by legislation authored by Senator Collins, to also include pre-K and early childhood educators. This deduction helps offset hundreds of dollars teachers spend out of their own pockets each year on classroom supplies, books, and other learning materials.\n\nThe SEED Act is supported by a broad coalition of education and child advocacy organizations, including the First Five Years Fund, Executives Partnering to Invest in Children (EPIC), the National Association for the Education of Young Children, Save the Children, the Center for American Progress, the American Federation of Teachers, Teach For America, and Trying Together.\n\n\u201cWe are deeply grateful to Senators Collins and Bennet, and Representatives Fitzpatrick, Panetta, Valadao and Goodlander, and the bipartisan lawmakers in both chambers who championed the SEED Act and helped get it across the finish line,\u201d said Sarah Rittling, Executive Director of First Five Years Fund (FFYF). \u201cWe look forward to building on this momentum and continuing to advance bipartisan solutions that strengthen child care for families, educators, and communities across the country.\u201d\n\n\u201cExecutives Partnering to Invest in Children (EPIC) strongly supports the bipartisan Supporting Early-Childhood Educators\u2019 Deductions (SEED) Act. Early childhood educators support children\u2019s development and learning during their most formative years while enabling parents to participate in the workforce and helping our businesses and communities thrive. Yet these essential professionals, who already earn modest wages, too often pay out of pocket for the books, supplies and materials children need,\u201d said Nicole Riehl, President and CEO, Executives Partnering to Invest in Children. \u201cExtending the federal educator expense deduction to early childhood educators is a commonsense step that recognizes their invaluable work and strengthens the workforce of today while investing in the workforce of tomorrow. EPIC thanks Senator Michael Bennet and Senator Susan Collins, along with their bipartisan House partners, for championing this important legislation.\u201d\n\n\u201cNAEYC applauds the bipartisan passage of the Supporting Early Childhood Educators\u2019 Deductions Act, which reimburses early childhood educators for the out-of-pocket classroom expenses they take on to improve children\u2019s learning environments, as K-12 educators have long been able to do,\u201d said the National Association for the Education of Young Children. \u201cWe are grateful that Congress is taking a step to recognize the complex, skilled, professional work of early childhood educators which lays the foundation for the youngest children to thrive. We look forward to building on this effort to support the early childhood education workforce by continuing to push for needed investments in quality ECE and compensation for early childhood educators working in all settings.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe earliest years of a child\u2019s life are among the most important for their development, and early childhood educators play a critical role during those years. Yet too often, these educators reach into their own pockets to buy the books, supplies, and materials they need to support the children in their classrooms,\u201d said Allison Dembeck, Head of Policy, Save the Children. \u201cWe are pleased to see the bipartisan SEED Act become law, giving early childhood educators access to the same tax deduction already available to K-12 teachers. This is a meaningful and long-overdue recognition of the educators who care for and teach our youngest children, and an investment in children and their futures.\u201d\n\nThe complete text of this legislation can be read here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/as-home-heating-season-approaches-senators-collins-reed-murkowski-lead-bipartisan-call-for-trump-administration-to-swiftly-release-liheap-funding", "As Home-Heating Season Approaches, Senators Collins, Reed, Murkowski Lead Bipartisan Call for Trump Administration to Swiftly Release LIHEAP Funding", "2026-09-17", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 With winter fast approaching, U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Jack Reed (D-RI), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) are leading a bipartisan push for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to release funds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) swiftly and at the highest level possible once funding becomes available on October 1, 2026.\n\nIn their letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., they stressed the critical importance of LIHEAP funding. This program is a lifeline that helps keep vulnerable Americans safe and warm during the winter by helping low-income households and seniors on fixed incomes afford their energy bills. Nationwide last year, an estimated 6 million households received assistance with heating and cooling costs through LIHEAP, with Maine households receiving more than $42 million in LIHEAP funds.\n\nAfter the Administration proposed zeroing out funding for LIHEAP in its fiscal year 2027 budget plan, Senators Collins, Reed, and Murkowski led successful bipartisan pushback through their roles on the Senate Appropriations Committee to protect LIHEAP and continue funding for the program at more than $4 billion this year.\n\n\u201cAs you know, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act for Fiscal Year 2027 (P.L. 119-103) requires the Department of Health and Human Services to distribute no less than 90 percent of its total LIHEAP allotment by November 1, 2026. Given the extraordinary pressure consumers will face this winter, we ask that you make this distribution well before the deadline,\u201d the 31 U.S. Senators wrote.\n\n\u201cOctober marks the start of the heating season for many states, and with temperatures already dropping, low-income families and seniors are feeling additional strains on their household budgets. As the main federal program benefiting these individuals with their energy bills, LIHEAP provides critical assistance to vulnerable families and seniors during the cold winter and hot summer months. State agencies and tribes are already activating their LIHEAP programs for the coming winter. A quick release of funding will ensure no gaps in assistance,\u201d the lawmakers concluded.\n\nThe complete text of their letter can be read here.\n\nIn addition to Senators Collins, Reed, and Murkowski, the letter was signed by Senators Angela D. Alsobrooks (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Chris Coons (D-DE), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mark Warner (D-VA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Gary Peters (D-MI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).\n\nLIHEAP is administered by states and accessed through local Community Action Agencies. Eligibility for LIHEAP is based on income, family size, and the availability of resources. Senior citizens and those receiving Social Security Disability or SSI benefits are encouraged to apply as early as possible, but applications will be open to everyone through spring of 2027\u2014or until the funding is exhausted. Mainers looking to apply for the program can review their eligibility here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-18T09:27:43Z", "2026-09-18T09:29:09Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-announces-600000-for-emergency-medical-services-in-maine", "Senator Collins Announces $600,000 for Emergency Medical Services in Maine", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that two emergency medical services (EMS) departments in Maine will receive a total of $600,000 through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration\u2019s (SAMHSA) Supporting and Improving Rural EMS Needs (SIREN) grant program.\n\nIn 2024, Senator Collins\u2019 bipartisan SIREN Reauthorization Act, which she co-authored with Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), was signed into law. This legislation extended funding for SIREN Act grants through Fiscal Year 2028. SIREN grants support rural EMS agencies in training and recruiting staff, conducting certification courses, and purchasing equipment, including naloxone to help address the opioid overdose epidemic.\n\n\u201cEmergency medical services are critical to ensuring that Mainers in every part of our state can receive the care they need,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThese investments in EMS agencies serving Maine\u2019s rural population will help to improve the quality and accessibility of health care across our state by supporting training for emergency medical personnel.\u201d\n\nThe funding is allocated as follows:\n\nBrooks Ambulance Service - $300,000 to improve EMS training for Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians and paramedics.\n\nUnited Ambulance Service (Lewiston) - $300,000 to improve rural EMS training.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-secures-commitment-from-surgeon-general-nominee-to-address-rural-health-care-deserts-in-maine-during-confirmation-hearing", "Senator Collins Secures Commitment from Surgeon General Nominee to Address Rural Health Care Deserts in Maine During Confirmation Hearing", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, at a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, U.S. Senator Susan Collins questioned Dr. Nicole Saphier, the nominee to serve as U.S. Surgeon General, about rural Americans\u2019 access to breast cancer screenings. During their exchange, Dr. Saphier committed to working with Senator Collins and her staff on identifying and addressing health care deserts in Maine.\n\nSenator Collins has long worked to expand access to cancer screenings in rural Maine. In 2022, she secured more than $1 million in Congressionally Directed Spending to establish a mobile mammography unit in Piscataquis and Somerset counties. To date, the unit has screened more than 1,000 women for breast cancer. She also introduced the bipartisan Screening for Communities to Receive Early and Equitable Needed Services (SCREENS) for Cancer Act with Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) to reauthorize the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), a lifesaving program that provides breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services for women who are low-income, uninsured, and underinsured and do not qualify for Medicaid.\n\nA transcript of their exchange is as follows:\n\nClick HERE to watch and HERE to download video of their exchange.\n\nSenator Collins:\n\n\u201cDr. Saphier, you've been a strong advocate for women to get early breast cancer screenings in order to better treat and prevent this disease. Just this morning, I met in my office with a group of Mainers who had had cancer. They are big advocates for screening, for research, and it's very difficult in rural states where they may have to travel long distances. That's one reason that I secured funding for a mobile mammography machine to go all over rural areas. And I'm very proud of the fact that they've screened more than 1000 women who most likely would not have been screened, and in some cases, breast cancer has been detected. Senator Baldwin and I have introduced legislation that would reauthorize the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. It's been proven successful. It's detected nearly 80,000 breast cancers and over 25,000 pre-malignant breast lesions. Without access to early detection programs, many people, particularly those who are uninsured, are forced to delay or forego screening. As Surgeon General, how would you work to spread awareness about the importance of screenings, and also ensure that women, particularly those living in rural areas, have access to screenings?\u201d\n\nDr. Nicole Saphier:\n\n\u201cThank you, Senator Collins, for the question and for taking the time--you had a very busy day, and you were able to connect with me on the phone. And we spoke on a wide array of topics. And we both obviously have a passion for women's health and preventative medicine. And what you've already highlighted, your advocacy and your attention to breast cancer and cervical cancer screening awareness and accessibility is something that I have seen and have been in awe of for a very long time with you. And I appreciate your efforts because, as someone who reads mammography and someone who is continuously trying to educate her patients and the public on the benefits of cancer screening, it is important for me. And if confirmed as Surgeon General, one of my crucial, crucial messages is going to be that early detection matters. And with that is cancer screening. But as you are pointing out, the fact that I can say everything that I want, but access is equally as important as the information. And I am very much looking forward to working with the other leaders in HHS, because access and coverage are not under the purview of the Surgeon General. But I will take my knowledge as a physician and my experience as communicating and I will do what I can to get that message to patients. You also mentioned something else during our meeting that probably I'm the only person in this entire building that cares about as much, is the fact that, in Maine, that you are seeing areas where radiologists are scarce, radiologists like myself. And so, the people of Maine are not having access to the high-quality health care in the United States that I believe every American should have access to. And so, being creative with various ways on how we can mobilize various portions of health care is something I am very eager to work with. You had mentioned teleradiology, but being a part of the Commission Corps is something that I am incredibly excited about, if I am confirmed, and working with you and your staff to identify any potential health care deserts in Maine that we might be able to help serve.\u201d\n\nSenator Collins:\n\n\u201cThank you. I look forward to working with you on that.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-statement-on-the-clarity-act", "Senator Collins\u2019 Statement on the CLARITY Act", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins released the following statement regarding her vote against the motion to proceed to consideration of the CLARITY Act:\n\n\u201cThe CLARITY Act remains a moving target. It\u2019s now grown to more than 600 pages with provisions that need further study, such as whether it would cause community banks and credit unions to lose deposits that are the foundation for loans for mortgages, small businesses, and other family needs.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/house-unanimously-passes-senator-collins-bill-to-combat-lyme-and-other-tick-borne-diseases", "House Unanimously Passes Senator Collins\u2019 Bill to Combat Lyme and Other Tick-Borne Diseases", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced that the House of Representatives unanimously passed the bipartisan Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act. Senator Collins introduced the bill with Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), with Senator Angus King (I-ME) joining them as an original cosponsor. The bill, which passed the Senate unanimously last month, now heads to the President\u2019s desk to be signed into law.\n\nCases of Lyme disease have reached a new record level in Maine every year since 2022, with more than 4,200 cases reported statewide last year.\n\nThe Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act aims to confront this growing public health threat by reauthorizing federal initiatives and programs to combat tick-borne diseases first established through the original Kay Hagan Tick Act, which Senators Collins and Smith led to passage in 2019. The Senators named their bill in honor of the late Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC), who passed away in October of 2019 due to complications from the tick-borne disease known as the Powassan virus.\n\n\u201cWith Maine continuing to experience record levels of Lyme disease, we must continue working to address the growing threat posed by tick-borne diseases,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThe Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act will build on the progress we have made in combatting these diseases since the original law was enacted and ensure this important work can continue across the country. I am grateful to Senator Smith for her partnership in this effort and to our colleagues in both chambers for working with us to move this important legislation across the finish line, and I look forward to seeing it signed into law.\u201d\n\nUsing a three-pronged approach, the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act would:\n\nReauthorize Regional Centers of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases through Fiscal Year 2030. These Centers have led the scientific response against tick-borne diseases, which now make up approximately 75 percent of vector-borne diseases in the U.S. There are four centers: at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the University of California\u2013Davis, the University of Florida, and the University of Wisconsin\u2013Madison. The authorization for the program under the Kay Hagan Tick Act expired at the end of Fiscal Year 2025.\n\nReauthorize CDC Grants to State Health Departments. These grants help departments improve data collection and analysis, support early detection and diagnosis, improve treatment, and raise awareness of vector-borne diseases. Reauthorizing these awards would help states continue building and maintaining a public health infrastructure for Lyme and other vector-borne diseases and amplify their initiatives through public-private partnerships. Since 2019, this funding has helped increase the number of health departments reporting tick-surveillance data from 6 to 44.\n\nRequire the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to continue implementing and updating, as appropriate, its National Public Health Strategy to Prevent and Control Vector-Borne Diseases in People. This strategy has been integral in expanding research into tick-borne diseases, improving testing and diagnostics, and coordinating efforts across the federal government.\n\nSince the original Kay Hagan Tick Act was signed into law in 2019, resources provided through the law have supported efforts to combat tick-borne diseases in Maine, including research at the MaineHealth Institute for Research connected to a clinical trial for a Lyme disease vaccine. The law has also provided funding for Maine CDC\u2019s efforts to track and respond to vector-borne diseases.\n\nSenator Collins has also secured more than $6 million through her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee for the University of Maine Tick Lab, which conducts tick surveillance and research and allows Mainers to submit ticks for pathogen testing.\n\nThe Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act has been endorsed by the University of Maine Tick Lab, the Center for Lyme Action, and the Entomological Society of America.\n\n\u201cThe growing burden of ticks and tick-borne diseases requires attention at the federal, state, and local levels. Reauthorization of the Kay Hagan TICK Act helps maintain a national strategy for addressing these diseases and supporting the science, coordination, and public health capacity needed to respond effectively. We appreciate Senator Collins\u2019 efforts to keep this issue before Congress and to recognize its importance to Maine and other heavily affected states,\u201d said Griffin Dill, Director of the University of Maine Tick Lab.\n\n\u201cThe reauthorization of the Kay Hagan Tick Act is a landmark victory for the millions of Americans impacted by tick-borne diseases and a testament to what is possible when policymakers, patients, families, and advocates come together to address a growing public health crisis. We are deeply grateful to the bipartisan leaders in the House and Senate who championed this legislation and helped bring it across the finish line, and to the thousands of advocates across the country whose voices, persistence, and grassroots action made this historic achievement possible. We look forward to seeing the Kay Hagan Tick Act signed into law and to building on this momentum to deliver the research, prevention, diagnostics, and treatments that patients and families so urgently need. This legislation is a critical investment in our nation\u2019s public health infrastructure and an important step toward finally turning the tide against these complex and devastating diseases,\u201d said Meghan Bradshaw, MPH, Executive Director of the Center for Lyme Action.\n\n\u201cOn behalf of the Entomological Society of America, we are extremely appreciative of the support shown in the House and Senate for the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act and we thank Senator Collins for her continued leadership on this issue. Reauthorizing the CDC Regional Centers of Excellence (COE) in Vector-Borne Diseases and reinforcing support for the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) grant program will help protect communities across the country from the growing challenges posed by diseases spread by ticks and mosquitoes through research, surveillance, management, and outreach,\u201d said Dr. Melissa Siebert, the 2026 President of the Entomological Society of America.\n\nThe complete text of the bill can be read here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-16T09:43:13Z", "2026-09-16T09:44:22Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senators-collins-king-urge-senate-commerce-committee-to-promptly-consider-bill-to-extend-pause-on-right-whale-regulations", "Senators Collins, King Urge Senate Commerce Committee to Promptly Consider Bill to Extend Pause on Right Whale Regulations", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King wrote to Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee, respectively, urging them to advance the Northeast Lobstermen Protection Act in their committee as soon as possible. The bipartisan legislation, which was introduced by U.S. Representatives Jared Golden (D-ME-02) and Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), recently passed the House of Representatives and would extend the current pause on new North Atlantic right whale regulations through 2035.\n\n\u201cThis pause is necessary to protect Maine\u2019s lobster fishery, which is essential to the state\u2019s economy and coastal communities. According to the Maine Lobstermen\u2019s Association, the lobster industry supports an estimated $2 billion in annual economic activity and more than 17,500 jobs,\u201d Senators Collins and King wrote.\n\n\u201cThe Maine Department of Marine Resources has used congressionally appropriated funds to establish a right whale research and monitoring program that is now in its third year of data collection,\u201d they continued. \u201cThe program includes aerial, vessel-based, and acoustic whale monitoring. This work is ongoing, and extending the pause would allow it to continue and provide scientists and regulators with better data to inform future management decisions.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is critical that any future regulatory actions appropriately balance protecting North Atlantic right whales with the economic and practical realities facing Maine\u2019s lobster industry. We ask that you work to advance H.R. 9436 as soon as possible,\u201d the Senators concluded.\n\nClick here to read their letter in full.\n\n+++\n\nIn 2022, Maine\u2019s lobster fishery faced sweeping new federal regulatory requirements that relied on flawed assumptions and an inadequate scientific record. The requirements threatened severe economic consequences for Maine\u2019s lobster industry without a sufficiently sound scientific basis. The Maine Delegation responded by securing a provision in the 2022 year-end appropriations law that prevented additional restrictions through December 31, 2028. Extending the regulatory pause through 2035 would allow this work to continue and help ensure that any future regulatory decisions are based on the best available science and a more accurate assessment of the risks posed by Maine\u2019s lobster fishery.\n\nSince the enactment of this pause, Senator Collins has secured more than $80 million in funding for North Atlantic right whale research and monitoring through her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee. This research supports Maine\u2019s lobster industry by improving the quality of the data used to inform federal regulations.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-16T09:43:13Z", "2026-09-16T09:44:22Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-honors-victims-and-first-responders-at-9/11-memorial-ceremony-in-augusta", "Senator Collins Honors Victims and First Responders at 9/11 Memorial Ceremony in Augusta", "2026-09-11", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nAUGUSTA, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins delivered remarks today at the Maine Firefighters Memorial in Augusta during a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The ceremony was hosted by the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1650 in partnership with the Augusta Fire Honor Guard.\n\n\u201cWe join together today to remember those whose lives were taken that terrible morning \u2013 nearly 3,000 innocent men, women, and children, workers doing their jobs, travelers embarking on trips,\u201d said Senator Collins during her remarks.\n\n\u201cMen and women like Robert and Jacqueline Norton of Lubec, Maine, who boarded Flight 11 to celebrate a son\u2019s wedding in California. At about the same time, Flight 175 took off with Robert Jalbert, a Massachusetts businessman and talented woodworker who grew up in Lewiston. Also on board was James Roux of Portland, on the first leg of a dream trip to climb the Himalayas. Stephen Ward of Gorham had just moved to New York City to work for Cantor Fitzgerald. He was among the 658 employees killed in the North Tower. Navy Commander Robert Schlegel of Gray was settling into his new assignment at the Pentagon. His office was believed to be the point of impact for Flight 77,\u201d she continued.\n\n\u201cOn the evening of that terrible day, members of Congress gathered on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. With tears in our eyes and sorrow in our hearts, together we sang, \u2018God Bless America.\u2019 The emotions of shock, anger, and grief were joined by determination. That moment remains my most enduring memory. The passage of 25 years has not dimmed our memory or diminished our gratitude. As long as we keep the meaning of this day of remembrance in our hearts, we shall meet the challenges that lie ahead,\u201d Senator Collins concluded.\n\nFollowing the September 11 attacks, Senator Collins, then Chair of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, led the effort with the late Senator Joe Lieberman in authoring theIntelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, which implemented the key recommendations of the independent 9/11 Commission. This comprehensive, bipartisan legislation was the most significant restructuring of the American intelligence community in more than half a century, dismantling the \u201cstovepipes\u201d that had left intelligence agencies holding separate pieces of information without a means to connect them. The law established the Director of National Intelligence and the National Counterterrorism Center to close those information-sharing gaps, helping to prevent future terrorist attacks.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-12T09:02:30Z", "2026-09-12T09:03:27Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-visits-the-town-of-newport", "Senator Collins Visits the Town of Newport", "2026-09-10", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "NEWPORT, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins was in Newport yesterday to visit the Newport Community Center, the Newport Fire Department, and the Newport branch of the Sebasticook Valley Federal Credit Union.\n\nClick HERE and HERE for individual photos.\n\nSenator Collins joined Newport Town Manager Dylan Lajoie to see the progress that has been made on renovating the Newport Community Center. Through her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins secured $935,000 in the Fiscal Year 2023 funding bill to renovate the Center, including making improvements to handicap accessibility and creating new athletic fields. In addition to the Town of Newport, the Center will serve the nearby communities of Plymouth, Etna, Corinna, St. Albans, Palmyra, and Hartland.\n\nClick HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nSenator Collins then visited the Newport Fire Department to thank first responders for their work responding to fires and medical emergencies in Newport. During her visit, she toured the facility and spoke with Fire Chief Jeff Chretien, Fire Captain and EMT Amanda Chretien, and other members and supporters of the Department.\n\nClick HERE and HERE for individual photos.\n\nShe also stopped by Sebasticook Valley Credit Union\u2019s Newport branch to meet with staff and discuss issues affecting Maine\u2019s credit unions. Senator Collins\u2019 work with credit unions includes authoring the bipartisan Senior $afe Act, which was signed into law in 2018 and helps credit unions and other financial institutions identify and report suspected financial exploitation of seniors while protecting trained employees from liability for reports made in good faith and on a reasonable basis to the proper authorities.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-11T09:25:29Z", "2026-09-11T09:27:08Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-announces-road-salt-cement-exempt-from-us-tariffs", "Senator Collins Announces Road Salt, Cement Exempt from U.S. Tariffs", "2026-09-08", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "BANGOR, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins released the following statement on the exemption of road salt and cement from the U.S. tariffs on Canada, following her focus on how crucial these two products are for the state of Maine in an August letter to the Administration:\n\n\u201cI appreciate the Administration\u2019s announcement that it will exempt road salt and cement from U.S. tariffs. In my communication with Ambassador Greer and Secretary Lutnick, I focused on road salt and cement as two products crucial to Maine that would be severely affected by these tariffs.\n\n\u201cI mentioned in a letter to the Administration that Frenchville, a small Maine town on the Canadian border, would incur $10,000 in extra costs for road salt, threatening the town\u2019s ability to provide municipal services. I also shared that I had heard from Maine ready-mix cement company owners, one of whom told me his company would pay $150,000 each month because of this tariff.\n\n\u201cThese additional exemptions follow Canada\u2019s announcement that it will carve out American seafood and fish products from its retaliatory tariff list, which would have caused significant harm to Maine\u2019s lobstermen.\n\n\u201cHowever, significant tariffs \u2013 including those on forest products \u2013 remain in effect and will lead to higher costs for Maine families and uncertainty for businesses. I urge the Administration to continue to work to deescalate this conflict and reach a trade resolution with our Canadian partners.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-10T09:25:58Z", "2026-09-10T09:27:09Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/-senator-collins-tours-mema-technical-education-center-in-brunswick", "Senator Collins Tours MEMA Technical Education Center in Brunswick", "2026-09-04", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nBRUNSWICK, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins toured the Maine Energy Marketers Association (MEMA) Technical Education Center in Brunswick, where she spoke with students, instructors, and MEMA members.\n\nThe nonprofit MEMA Technical Education Center is owned and operated by MEMA members and provides heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration training. Its curriculum is continually updated to reflect industry advancements and best practices. The National Oilheat Research Alliance (NORA) helps fund the Center. In 2018, Senator Collins worked with Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) to secure a 10-year reauthorization of NORA as part of the annual Farm Bill.\n\n\u201cThe hands-on education provided by the MEMA Technical Education Center prepares students for rewarding careers while helping Maine energy companies meet their workforce needs,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cIt was great speaking with the students and instructors and learning more about the important training offered at the Center. I thank MEMA for its commitment to technical education and for helping prepare the skilled workers who serve Maine homes and businesses.\u201d\n\nMEMA represents more than 300 members, including heating oil, propane, biofuel, and motor fuel providers, as well as convenience store owners.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-05T08:49:07Z", "2026-09-05T08:50:44Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-visits-american-rheinmetall-in-biddeford", "Senator Collins Visits American Rheinmetall in Biddeford", "2026-08-31", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nBIDDEFORD, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins delivered remarks and toured the factory floor at American Rheinmetall, where she spoke with employees and company leadership. The company\u2019s Biddeford facility supports U.S. defense manufacturing and produces weapon-system components, military electronics, fire-control and vision systems, and other technologies.\n\nAmerican Rheinmetall recently received a contract from the Department of Defense (DOD) worth more than $20 million to produce MK-93 weapon mounts for the U.S. military. Senator Collins secured the necessary funding increase for DOD to purchase the mounts, allowing American Rheinmetall to compete for the contract and DOD to award it on schedule. The contract will help expand operations at American Rheinmetall\u2019s Biddeford manufacturing facility.\n\n\u201cFrom the founding of our nation to today, Maine manufacturers have been essential to keeping America strong and free. We are fortunate to have companies such as American Rheinmetall strengthening the arsenal of democracy, from advanced materials and precision manufacturing to autonomous systems. Your cutting-edge work provides specialized capabilities critical to military readiness and is an important part of the defense industrial base,\u201d said Senator Collins during her remarks. \u201cThe upgraded MK-93 mount you manufacture enhances the Army\u2019s standard mount for heavy machine guns and grenade launchers, boosting accuracy, stability, and ease of use. Just as important, the good example you set through your skill, dedication, and pride sends a powerful message to students seeking rewarding careers. The people of Maine are proud of our state\u2019s role in keeping our nation strong and free. You add to that legacy. Thank you and keep up the great work!\u201d\n\nAs Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins has worked to strengthen Maine\u2019s defense industrial base. She led Senate passage of the 2026 Department of Defense funding bill, which supports defense employers and workers across Maine. To help prepare workers for careers in this sector, Senator Collins secured $1.5 million in 2023 and nearly $1 million in 2024 to expand welding training facilities and upgrade classroom technology at York County Community College.\n\nThese investments complement efforts by the Maine Defense Industry Alliance (MDIA)\u2014a statewide initiative bringing together defense employers, educational institutions, and government partners to expand Maine\u2019s defense workforce. The U.S. Navy awarded the MDIA $3.5 million to expand state-of-the-art welding and manufacturing instruction at York County Community College to support more than 200 additional trainees each year. The U.S. Small Business Administration also recently awarded the Maine Community College System, an MDIA partner, $5 million to provide manufacturing workforce training statewide. The funding will support training in areas including CNC precision machining, welding, maritime pipefitting, marine machine mechanics, quality assurance, and other advanced manufacturing skills.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-01T09:48:49Z", "2026-09-01T09:49:51Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-tours-improvements-at-amhc-crisis-stabilization-unit-in-calais", "Senator Collins Tours Improvements at AMHC Crisis Stabilization Unit in Calais", "2026-08-30", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nCALAIS, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins visited Aroostook Mental Health Service\u2019s (AMHC) newly renovated Adult Crisis Stabilization Unit in Calais yesterday. The unit provides 24/7 short-term residential crisis care, safety planning, and mental health stabilization.\n\nIn 2024, Senator Collins secured $4.3 million in Congressionally Directed Spending to support improvements at the facility, including a new four-season sensory space for children, as well as a soon-to-be-completed children\u2019s residential unit.\n\n\u201cThese improvements, combined with AMHC\u2019s expert and compassionate staff, will help individuals and families in Washington County during their time of need,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThat is why I worked hard to secure $4.3 million in federal funding to support these renovations and expand the availability of behavioral health services for children and adults at this location.\u201d\n\nAMHC has provided mental health, crisis, substance use treatment, and other behavioral health services to communities in northern and eastern Maine for more than 60 years.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-31T11:22:56Z", "2026-08-31T11:24:00Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-celebrates-completed-renovation-of-st-croix-apartments-in-calais", "Senator Collins Celebrates Completed Renovation of St. Croix Apartments in Calais", "2026-08-29", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nCALAIS, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of the rehabilitation and renovation of the St. Croix Apartments in Calais. The project restored 26 units of affordable housing for low-income seniors.\n\nIn 2021, Senator Collins helped secure nearly $3.2 million for this project through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development\u2019s (HUD) Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program. Then, in 2024, she secured an additional $1.2 million in Congressionally Directed Spending to further support the renovations.\n\n\u201cAffordable housing is critical to helping Maine seniors live comfortably and securely in their own communities,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cI am delighted to celebrate the completion of this project, and I was proud to help secure the federal funding that made it possible. The renovated St. Croix Apartments will provide seniors with safe and affordable homes close to the family, friends, and community they love.\u201d\n\nThe St. Croix Apartments lost HUD funding in 2016 due to the previous owner\u2019s failure to properly maintain the property, forcing the residents to find new homes. Senator Collins worked to ensure that those residents received relocation and continued rental assistance. Sunrise Opportunities later purchased the property and developed a plan to return it to affordable housing.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-30T10:18:21Z", "2026-08-30T10:19:31Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-warns-170-million-of-maine-goods-would-be-hit-by-tariffs-in-new-letter-to-administration", "Senator Collins Warns $170 Million of Maine Goods Would Be Hit by Tariffs in New Letter to Administration", "2026-08-28", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "BANGOR, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins wrote to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jameison Greer urging them to resume negotiations with Canada and to reach a fair trade agreement to prevent damaging tariffs from taking effect in order to protect Maine workers, employers, and communities from unnecessary economic harm.\n\nShe also shared new details quantifying the damage to Maine businesses if the tariffs continue as planned.\n\n\u201cThe new 50 percent tariffs imposed by the Administration on certain Canadian imports and the retaliatory tariffs announced by the Canadian government will lead to higher costs, risk, and uncertainty for Maine families, small and large businesses, and our communities,\u201d Senator Collins wrote. \u201cFor Mainers, commerce with Canada is a regular occurrence. Maine borders only one state, but shares a 611-mile border with Canada. The consequences of Canada\u2019s retaliatory tariffs are severe for Maine businesses, including our heritage industries.\u201d\n\n\u201cApproximately $170 million worth of goods would be subject to the announced Canadian tariffs, with roughly 62 percent coming from the forest products sector. Nearly 90 percent of Maine is covered by forest. This economic sector supports approximately 30,000 jobs and contributes more than $8 billion to the state\u2019s economy,\u201d she continued. \u201cTwo of Maine\u2019s paper mills, which are the largest employers in their towns, have already contacted me about the crushing increased costs that they will incur and the potential impact on their employment levels.\u201d\n\n\u201cI appreciate that the Canadian government has revised its initial announcement and removed seafood and fish products, including lobster, from its plan. This would have resulted in more than $200 million in tariffs on Maine\u2019s lobster industry, with impacts felt all throughout the supply chain,\u201d she added. \u201cThe tariffs will also impose significant hardships on Maine communities. For example, Maine municipalities rely on road salt from Canada to keep roads safe from snow and ice in the winter. Frenchville, a very small town on the Canadian border, will have to pay $10,000 more for road salt as a result of the new tariffs.\u201d\n\n\u201cMaine\u2019s economy is uniquely intertwined with Canada, and the consequences of an escalating trade dispute will be felt by American families, businesses, workers, and communities across the state. Thousands of American jobs and businesses across a variety of sectors are at risk. I urge the Administration to work urgently toward a negotiated resolution with Canada that removes the recently implemented American tariffs and prevents the Canadian tariffs from taking effect,\u201d Senator Collins concluded.\n\nThe complete text of the letter can be read here.\n\n+++\n\nSenator Collins has repeatedly opposed broad tariffs on Canadian goods and worked to protect Maine businesses and communities from their negative effects.\n\nEarlier this month, following the proposed 50 percent tariffs on more than 500 categories of Canadian imports, she wrote to the Commerce Secretary and the U.S. Trade Representative urging the Administration to provide Maine businesses with greater clarity and notice regarding the tariffs and to consider their expected negative impact on Maine\u2019s economy before any potential implementation. She also met with Canadian Ambassador Mark Wiseman to discuss the tariffs and the broader economic relationship between the U.S. and Canada.\n\nIn April 2025, she delivered remarks on the Senate floor in support of a resolution to end the emergency declaration being used to impose tariffs on Canadian goods; joined a bipartisan group in introducing the Trade Review Act of 2025, which would reassert Congress\u2019 constitutional authority over tariffs; and urged the Administration to exempt previously contracted fire truck orders from tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum that were expected to increase the cost of each truck by $80,000 to $90,000.\n\nIn July 2025, she joined a bipartisan group in introducing the Creating Access to Necessary American-Canadian Duty Adjustments (CANADA) Act, which would exempt U.S.-owned small businesses from tariffs on Canadian imports.\n\nIn December 2025, she requested targeted tariff relief for Maine\u2019s wild blueberry producers, including an exemption for specialized Canadian equipment used to harvest, process, and mow the crop.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-28T17:11:49Z", "2026-08-28T17:13:14Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-participates-in-christening-and-launch-of-umaines-3d-printed-vessel", "Senator Collins Participates in Christening and Launch of UMaine\u2019s 3D-Printed Vessel", "2026-08-28", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nHAMPDEN, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins delivered remarks at the christening and launch of 3Dirigo-X, a 30-foot, 3D-printed vessel designed and manufactured by the University of Maine\u2019s Advanced Structures and Composites Center (ASCC). Senator Collins joined University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy, University of Maine System Chancellor Dannel Malloy, ASCC Executive Director Dr. Habib Dagher, and Keith DeVries, Director of the Department of Defense Manufacturing Technology (MANTECH) Program, for the event at Hampden Marina. Following her remarks, Senator Collins helped christen the vessel and observed an in-water demonstration.\n\n3Dirigo-X is the first large 3D-printed vessel designed to operate at high speeds in the challenging environment of the Atlantic Ocean. Developed through a Department of Defense-funded Accelerated Rapid Prototyping (ARP) program, it is engineered to withstand the static, dynamic, impact, vibration, and hydrodynamic forces associated with operating at speeds approaching 40 knots. The vessel builds on the ASCC\u2019s 2019 production of 3Dirigo, a 25-foot patrol boat that was printed in 72 hours and set Guinness World Records for the world\u2019s largest 3D-printed boat and largest 3D-printed object.\n\n\u201cToday, we launch 3Dirigo-X, the first large 3D-printed vessel designed to operate at high speeds in the challenging environment of the Atlantic Ocean. 3Dirigo proved that a boat could be printed. 3Dirigo-X will demonstrate that a vessel produced by this technology can perform in the demanding conditions of the high seas,\u201d said Senator Collins during her remarks. \u201cThis significant advancement is the result of the expertise of researchers at UMaine\u2019s Advanced Structures and Composites Center. My first official visit as a new senator in 1997 was to Dr. Dagher\u2019s wood composites lab. Ever since, I have been proud to support the pioneering work done here by securing funding to support and strengthen its advanced manufacturing capabilities.\u201d\n\nSenator Collins has supported the ASCC since the beginning of her Senate service, and her first official visit as a senator in 1997 was to Dr. Habib Dagher\u2019s wood composites laboratory. In 2019, she helped establish a partnership between UMaine and Oak Ridge National Laboratory focused on large-scale 3D printing with forest materials and in the past five years alone, she has secured more than $115 million in federal appropriations to support the ASCC\u2019s Factory of the Future. This includes $35 million in fiscal year 2022 appropriations legislation to support the construction and advanced manufacturing capabilities of the ASCC\u2019s Factory of the Future, and an additional $33 million in fiscal year 2023 to expand the facility, including the addition of a second manufacturing bay.\n\nIn April 2024, the ASCC unveiled the world\u2019s largest polymer 3D printer, which is four times larger than its previous record-setting printer. The printer allows UMaine to accelerate and expand its research into applications including shipbuilding, affordable housing, and bridge construction.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-29T11:31:28Z", "2026-08-29T11:32:37Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-visits-penquis-bright-beginnings-child-development-center", "Senator Collins Visits Penquis Bright Beginnings Child Development Center", "2026-08-28", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nBANGOR, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins visited Penquis Bright Beginnings Child Development Center in Bangor to join Penquis President and CEO Kara Hay, Head Start and Childcare Director Mary Kay Hallett for a guided tour of the facility.\n\nThe center opened in May 2025 and includes 16 classrooms for infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children. Once fully operational, the center will serve nearly 200 children through its Head Start, Early Head Start, and child care programs.\n\n\u201cBright Beginnings is helping more children get a strong start in life while giving parents access to the reliable, high-quality child care they need,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cI have long been a strong supporter of Head Start, and as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue working to protect and strengthen this vital program for children and families in Maine and across the country.\u201d\n\nSenator Collins has long supported federal investments in Head Start, which provides early childhood education, health, nutrition, and family support services to children from low-income families. As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins helped increase funding for Head Start nationally to $12.4 billion in the Fiscal Year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.", 1, "2026-08-29T11:31:28Z", "2026-08-29T11:32:37Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-joins-bridge-dedication-in-honor-of-fallen-maine-state-police-detective", "Senator Collins Joins Bridge Dedication in Honor of Fallen Maine State Police Detective", "2026-08-27", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nMILLINOCKET, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins participated in a bridge dedication in Millinocket honoring fallen Maine State Police Detective Ben Campbell. Detective Campbell\u2019s widow, Hilary, and son, Everett, attended the ceremony, along with dozens of state, county, and local law enforcement officers and elected officials, local business owners, representatives of community organizations, and other supporters.\n\nDetective Campbell, who lived in Millinocket, was killed in 2019 when he stopped to help a stranded driver on I-95 and was struck by a wheel that detached from a passing logging truck. He was 31 years old.\n\n\u201cEvery law enforcement officer answers a call that sets them apart. Most of us wonder if we would have the courage to risk our lives in a moment of crisis to protect others. The men and women who wear the uniform demonstrate that courage every day,\u201d said Senator Collins during her remarks. \u201cDetective Campbell answered that call, and he served the people of Maine with commitment, compassion, and valor. The dedication of this new bridge in his name ensures that for generations to come, all who pass this way will be reminded of his dedication to others. Hilary and Everett, to you he was a loving husband and a devoted father. To all of us here today, he was a hero\u2014not because of the way his life ended, but because of the way he lived it.\u201d\n\nIn 2018, Senator Collins helped secure a $10,836,220 U.S. DOT Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant to replace three structurally deficient bridges in Piscataquis and Penobscot counties, including the bridge dedicated today. Formerly known as the West Branch Bridge, the now Detective Ben Campbell Memorial Bridge carries Route 11 over the West Branch of the Penobscot River approximately four miles southwest of Millinocket.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-28T17:11:49Z", "2026-08-28T17:13:14Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-statement-on-canada-exempting-american-seafood-from-retaliatory-tariffs", "Senator Collins\u2019 Statement on Canada Exempting American Seafood from Retaliatory Tariffs", "2026-08-27", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "BANGOR, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins released the following statement after the Canadian government announced its decision to exempt American seafood from its list of planned retaliatory tariffs:\n\n\u201cI very much appreciate Canada\u2019s decision to remove seafood and fish products from its retaliatory tariff list. These tariffs would have caused tremendous harm to Maine\u2019s lobstermen, disrupting one of their most important markets during the fall fishing season.\n\n\u201cI urge the U.S. to respond to this show of good faith from our Canadian friends by returning to the negotiating table and working to amicably resolve this trade dispute.\n\n\u201cCanada is not China. Canada is one of our closest allies and largest trading partners. Our economies are inextricably linked, especially in the border regions. Continuing with these tariffs will harm Maine families, small businesses, municipalities, manufacturers, and farmers.\n\n\u201cWhen I spoke with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer this week, I stressed the negative impact U.S. tariffs will have on Maine \u2014 especially our forest, food, cement, road salt users and producers. Tariffs will also stress municipal budgets, as small towns in Maine rely on Canadian road salt and cannot afford to incur extra costs to keep their roads safe in the winter.\u201d\n\n+++\n\nSenator Collins has repeatedly opposed broad tariffs on Canadian goods and worked to protect Maine businesses and communities from their negative effects.\n\nEarlier this month, following the proposed 50 percent tariffs on more than 500 categories of Canadian imports, she wrote to the Commerce Secretary and the U.S. Trade Representative urging the Administration to provide Maine businesses with greater clarity and notice regarding the tariffs and to consider their expected negative impact on Maine\u2019s economy before any potential implementation. She also met with Canadian Ambassador Mark Wiseman to discuss the tariffs and the broader economic relationship between the U.S. and Canada.\n\nIn April 2025, she delivered remarks on the Senate floor in support of a resolution to end the emergency declaration being used to impose tariffs on Canadian goods; joined a bipartisan group in introducing the Trade Review Act of 2025, which would reassert Congress\u2019 constitutional authority over tariffs; and urged the Administration to exempt previously contracted fire truck orders from tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum that were expected to increase the cost of each truck by $80,000 to $90,000.\n\nIn July 2025, she joined a bipartisan group in introducing the Creating Access to Necessary American-Canadian Duty Adjustments (CANADA) Act, which would exempt U.S.-owned small businesses from tariffs on Canadian imports.\n\nIn December 2025, she requested targeted tariff relief for Maine\u2019s wild blueberry producers, including an exemption for specialized Canadian equipment used to harvest, process, and mow the crop.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-28T17:11:49Z", "2026-08-28T17:13:14Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-delivers-remarks-at-kenduskeag-library-truss-signing-ceremony", "Senator Collins Delivers Remarks at Kenduskeag Library Truss Signing Ceremony", "2026-08-26", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nKENDUSKEAG, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins delivered remarks today at a truss signing ceremony for the new Kenduskeag Public Library. She joined Kenduskeag Town Selectboard Chairwoman Sheila Doughty, Town Selectmen Mike Bishop and Chris Young, State Senator Stacey Guerin, Town Historian James Smith, library trustees and other project supporters at the event.\n\nThe town\u2019s current library does not have bathrooms or running water and has limited space for visitors. The new library will offer modern facilities and additional space for hosting community programs and events.\n\nSenator Collins secured $1 million in Congressionally Directed Spending in 2024 to support the construction of the new library. This is part of more than $16 million she has secured in the past five years to upgrade nine libraries across the state.\n\n\u201cThis project holds a special place in my heart. One of my first jobs as a teenager was reading to children during Story Hour at the public library in my hometown of Caribou. I learned at that early age that encouraging children to read is an investment in their education and, ultimately, an investment in our country\u2019s future,\u201d said Senator Collins during her remarks. \u201cI was pleased to secure $1 million to help move this long-awaited project forward, and I congratulate the people of Kenduskeag on your vision and perseverance in seeing this project through. I look forward to our continued work together.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-27T16:10:01Z", "2026-08-27T16:10:50Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-statement-on-the-breakdown-of-us-canada-trade-negotiations", "Senator Collins\u2019 Statement on the Breakdown of U.S.-Canada Trade Negotiations", "2026-08-22", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "BANGOR, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins released the following statement regarding the breakdown of trade negotiations between the United States and Canada:\n\n\u201cThe on-again/off-again trade talks between the U.S. and Canada lead to higher costs, risk, and uncertainty for Maine businesses. If the Administration proceeds with these tariffs, they will increase costs for Maine families, as most businesses will have no choice but to pass on the tariffs to their customers through higher prices.\n\n\u201cMaine imports approximately $2 billion in non-petroleum products from Canada each year. Ever since the tariffs were first announced, I have heard from many businesses, farmers, and lobstermen concerned about the cost of navigating the tariffs, the lack of domestic supply chains, and the likely imposition of retaliatory tariffs by Canada.\n\n\u201cI urge both sides to return to the negotiating table. The Administration must consider the negative impact tariffs would have on Maine businesses, communities, and families and work to reach a fair agreement with our Canadian neighbors.\u201d\n\n+++\n\nSenator Collins has repeatedly opposed broad tariffs on Canadian goods and worked to protect Maine businesses and communities from their negative effects.\n\nEarlier this month, following the proposed 50 percent tariffs on more than 500 categories of Canadian imports, she wrote to the Commerce Secretary and the U.S. Trade Representative urging the Administration to provide Maine businesses with greater clarity and notice regarding the tariffs and to consider their expected negative impact on Maine\u2019s economy before any potential implementation. She also met with Canadian Ambassador Mark Wiseman to discuss the tariffs and the broader economic relationship between the U.S. and Canada.\n\nIn April 2025, she delivered remarks on the Senate floor in support of a resolution to end the emergency declaration being used to impose tariffs on Canadian goods; joined a bipartisan group in introducing the Trade Review Act of 2025, which would reassert Congress\u2019 constitutional authority over tariffs; and urged the Administration to exempt previously contracted fire truck orders from tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum that were expected to increase the cost of each truck by $80,000 to $90,000.\n\nIn July 2025, she joined a bipartisan group in introducing the Creating Access to Necessary American-Canadian Duty Adjustments (CANADA) Act, which would exempt U.S.-owned small businesses from tariffs on Canadian imports.\n\nIn December 2025, she requested targeted tariff relief for Maine\u2019s wild blueberry producers, including an exemption for specialized Canadian equipment used to harvest, process, and mow the crop.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-23T05:27:15Z", "2026-08-23T05:29:02Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-walks-in-madison-anson-days-parade", "Senator Collins Walks in Madison-Anson Days Parade", "2026-08-22", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nANSON, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins walked in the Madison-Anson Days Parade. The parade is one of the signature events of Madison-Anson Days, a decades-old summer tradition featuring several days of entertainment, family activities, and community events.\n\n\u201cI had so much fun taking part in the Madison-Anson Days Parade today and visiting with so many Mainers who lined the route,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cFrom one side of the Kennebec River to the other, the parade was a wonderful celebration of the shared community pride that connects these two great Maine towns.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-23T05:27:15Z", "2026-08-23T05:29:02Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/administration-releases-more-than-5-million-for-maine-weatherization-and-energy-aid-following-request-from-senators-collins-and-reed", "Administration Releases More Than $5 Million for Maine Weatherization and Energy Aid Following Request from Senators Collins and Reed", "2026-08-20", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced today that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has released $5,056,574 for the State of Maine through the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), the Weatherization Readiness Fund (WRF), and the State Energy Program (SEP).\n\nThis action follows a request sent earlier this year by Senators Collins and Jack Reed (D-RI) along with 17 of their Senate colleagues, including Senator Angus King, urging the Administration to release the delayed funding for these programs. At the time, the Department had not issued the annual guidance states needed to apply for the funds, threatening disruptions to these programs.\n\nSpecifically, the State of Maine will receive $4,094,134 through the WAP, $397,790 through the WRF, and $564,650 through the SEP. Nationwide, DOE released $328 million for the WAP, $30 million for the WRF, and $64 million for the SEP.\n\n\u201cThese programs enjoy broad bipartisan support and play important roles in lowering energy bills and improving the safety and efficiency of homes in Maine,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cFollowing our bipartisan request, I am pleased that the Administration has released these funds so that state agencies can continue putting them to work in communities throughout our state.\u201d\n\nBenefits of the WAP, SEP, and WRF include:\n\nThroughout the program\u2019s history, the Weatherization Assistance Program has helped more than 7.4 million low-income households reduce their energy bills, saving each household an average of $372 annually. The program supports 8,500 jobs and provides weatherization services to approximately 32,000 homes nationwide each year.\n\nThe State Energy Program combines the scientific and economic expertise of the Department of Energy with locally led planning to improve the energy efficiency of hospitals and schools, support energy projects, and encourage private-sector innovation. An Oak Ridge National Laboratory study found that every federal dollar invested in the SEP leverages more than $10 for energy-related economic development and produces more than $7 in energy savings.\n\nThe Weatherization Readiness Fund supports structural and health and safety repairs that must be completed before otherwise income-eligible homes can receive weatherization services. A 2025 national study by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy found that weatherization services were initially deferred for nearly one in five income-eligible households because their homes needed repairs.\n\nEarlier this year, Senators Collins and Reed were presented with the John D. Dingell Award by the Edison Electric Institute and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers for their steadfast support of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and other federal efforts to lower energy costs for Americans.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-21T05:30:57Z", "2026-08-21T05:32:22Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-announces-umaine-will-begin-construction-of-3d-printed-neighborhood-for-homeless-individuals", "Senator Collins Announces UMaine Will Begin Construction of 3D-Printed Neighborhood for Homeless Individuals", "2026-08-19", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "BANGOR, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced today that the University of Maine\u2019s (UMaine) Advanced Structures and Composites Center (ASCC) has received its $4 million Congressionally Directed Spending award. This funding, which Senator Collins secured through fiscal year 2024 appropriations legislation, will support the design and production of a neighborhood of nine 3D-printed homes for homeless individuals in the greater Bangor area, in partnership with Penquis.\n\nThe housing development will be the first in Maine constructed from wood sawmill waste and could serve as a model for other communities seeking to address homelessness. The homes will be designed to withstand Maine winters, as the 600-square-foot prototype on UMaine\u2019s campus in Orono has done since it was unveiled in 2022 at an event attended by Senator Collins.\n\n\u201cThis first-of-its-kind neighborhood is an exciting next step for UMaine\u2019s BioHome3D technology and builds on years of groundbreaking research,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cI have long been proud to support the pioneering work of Dr. Habib Dagher and his team at the Advanced Structures and Composites Center, including by securing funding for its advanced manufacturing capabilities and for this project. By transforming recycled forest products into durable, energy-efficient homes, this innovative technology could help address our housing shortage, strengthen Maine\u2019s forest products industry, and create new jobs across our state.\u201d\n\n\u201cToday marks a major milestone for UMaine\u2019s BioHome3D technology. Thanks to Senator Collins\u2019 support, we received the funding to produce nine 3D-printed homes for the unhoused in Bangor. We are collaborating with Penquis on the world\u2019s first project that uses wood residuals from Maine\u2019s sawmills to print the homes,\u201d said Dr. Habib Dagher, Executive Director of the Advanced Structures and Composites Center at the University of Maine.\n\nSenator Collins has supported the ASCC since the beginning of her Senate service, and her first official visit as a senator in 1997 was to Dr. Habib Dagher\u2019s wood composites laboratory. In 2019, she helped establish a partnership between UMaine and Oak Ridge National Laboratory focused on large-scale 3D printing with forest materials. She then secured $35 million in fiscal year 2022 appropriations legislation to support the construction and advanced manufacturing capabilities of the ASCC\u2019s Factory of the Future. In fiscal year 2023, she secured an additional $33 million to expand the facility, including the addition of a second manufacturing bay focused on developing 3D-printed affordable housing. In fiscal year 2024, she secured $4 million specifically to advance the production and commercialization of BioHome3D technology.\n\nIn April 2024, the ASCC unveiled the world\u2019s largest polymer 3D printer, which is four times larger than its previous record-setting printer. The printer allows UMaine to accelerate and expand its research into applications including affordable housing, national defense, and bridge construction.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-20T05:28:41Z", "2026-08-20T05:29:58Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-tours-historic-wildcat-lobster-pound-in-st-george", "Senator Collins Tours Historic Wildcat Lobster Pound in St. George", "2026-08-19", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nST. GEORGE, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins toured the historic Wildcat Lobster Pound in St. George and met with leaders of the Maine Coast Fishermen\u2019s Association (MCFA) and local fishermen. During her visit, they discussed plans to restore the property and create new opportunities for Maine\u2019s seafood businesses through fisheries research, workforce training, and educational programs.\n\nSenator Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, submitted a Fiscal Year 2027 Congressionally Directed Spending request for $1 million to support the MCFA\u2019s redevelopment of the Wildcat Lobster Pound. If enacted, the funding would be used to repair the pound\u2019s dam and doors, which regulate water levels, and rebuild the adjacent wharf and gangway.\n\n\u201cMaine\u2019s working waterfronts are essential to our state\u2019s economy, heritage, and coastal communities. The Maine Coast Fishermen\u2019s Association has developed an exciting vision to restore the historic Wildcat Lobster Pound and transform it into a hub supporting fishermen and small seafood businesses,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cI am working hard to secure $1 million through my role on the Appropriations Committee so that this unique Maine property can once again serve our seafood industry for generations to come.\u201d\n\nThe property\u2019s dock and wharves were structurally damaged during the severe winter storms of 2024. The MCFA plans to restore the site as a hub where fishermen, researchers, aquaculture producers, and small seafood businesses operators can collaborate to address the evolving needs of Maine\u2019s fishing industry. The property was donated to the MCFA in October 2025 by St. George resident Barbara Wagner in honor of her late husband, John Wagner.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-20T05:28:41Z", "2026-08-20T05:29:58Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-visits-energy-storage-project-in-lincoln-with-energy-secretary-wright", "Senator Collins Visits Energy Storage Project in Lincoln with Energy Secretary Wright", "2026-08-19", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE for a full-resolution image.\n\nLINCOLN, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins joined U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and local leaders in Lincoln to learn more about Form Energy\u2019s plans for a new energy storage facility at the Lincoln Technology Park. The facility will be located at the site of the former Lincoln Paper & Tissue Mill.\n\nThe project received a nearly $150 million federal award through the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program, which was established by the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law. Senator Collins was a member of the group of ten senators who negotiated that law.\n\n\u201cRevitalizing Maine\u2019s former mill sites is a priority of mine, and this project holds tremendous promise for Lincoln and the surrounding communities,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cIt will not only breathe new life into a vacant former mill site, but also create new jobs and strengthen energy security and grid reliability throughout central Maine. Once completed, the facility, the first of its kind in New England, will be able to provide enough electricity to power approximately 65,000 homes for 100 hours. As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I am committed to advocating for Maine to remain at the forefront of energy innovation and resilience.\u201d\n\nSenator Collins secured a total of $7.5 million through her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee for infrastructure improvements and continued redevelopment at the Lincoln Technology Park. This includes $3.5 million in fiscal year 2024 and $4 million in fiscal year 2026.", 1, "2026-08-20T05:28:41Z", "2026-08-20T05:29:58Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-walks-in-acadian-festival-parade", "Senator Collins Walks in Acadian Festival Parade", "2026-08-16", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nMADAWASKA, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins joined local leaders, first responders, and community organizations at the 48th annual Acadian Festival Parade in Madawaska. The parade is a signature event of the Madawaska Acadian Festival, the largest celebration of Acadian culture in the northeastern United States.\n\n\u201cThe annual Acadian Festival is a wonderful Madawaska tradition celebrating the proud heritage and culture of Maine\u2019s Acadian people,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cI had a great time walking in today\u2019s parade through downtown Madawaska and taking part in one of northern Maine\u2019s great summer celebrations.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-18T05:27:41Z", "2026-08-18T05:29:06Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-i-oppose-the-administrations-strategy-that-would-allow-the-first-ships-in-new-classes-of-us-navy-vessels-to-be-built-overseas", "Senator Collins: I Oppose the Administration\u2019s Strategy that Would Allow the First Ships in New Classes of U.S. Navy Vessels to be Built Overseas", "2026-08-14", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "BANGOR, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins released the following statement in opposition to the Administration\u2019s new directive on Navy shipbuilding:\n\n\u201cI strongly support the goal of strengthening our Navy and expanding America\u2019s shipbuilding capacity. It is a national security imperative and has been a priority of mine throughout my Senate service.\n\n\u201cI oppose, however, the Administration\u2019s strategy that would allow the first ships in new classes of U.S. Navy vessels to be built overseas, placing foreign companies in a leading role in shaping the design, technology, and production of our future fleet. Although subsequent ships would be built in the United States, they would be based on designs and constructed using shipbuilding techniques licensed by foreign companies.\n\n\u201cFor generations in the great state of Maine, the highly skilled men and women at Bath Iron Works have built some of the finest warships in the world. We should be investing in their experience, expanding the capacity of American shipyards, and ensuring that American workers remain at the center of our efforts to rebuild the Navy.\n\n\u201cCooperation with our allies can bring valuable investment and new technologies to the United States. But those partnerships should result in more ships being built in America by American workers, not fewer. I will continue to fight to secure federal funding for Bath Iron Works, strengthen America\u2019s maritime industrial base, and stand behind the thousands of men and women whose work is essential to our national security.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-15T05:23:20Z", "2026-08-15T05:24:50Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-speaks-at-groundbreaking-for-american-steel-and-aluminum-manufacturing-facility-expansion-in-saco", "Senator Collins Speaks at Groundbreaking for American Steel & Aluminum Manufacturing Facility Expansion in Saco", "2026-08-14", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nSACO, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins delivered remarks at a groundbreaking ceremony for American Steel & Aluminum\u2019s (ASA) planned expansion of its manufacturing facility in Saco. Prior to the ceremony, Senator Collins toured the existing facility, spoke with employees, and met with company leadership.\n\n\u201cASA has long been a job-creating engine in southern Maine, and its investment in expanding its Saco facility is welcome news for the city and our state,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThis project reflects the company\u2019s confidence in Maine\u2019s skilled workforce and will support good jobs, strengthen our manufacturing sector and defense industrial base, and contribute to continued economic growth in the region. I congratulate the entire ASA team on reaching this exciting milestone.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis groundbreaking is for a 12,000-square-foot addition. It\u2019s going to bring many new jobs\u2014about 30 new jobs are going to be on board here in the next couple of months. Our cutting capacity will double. [...] It\u2019s a commitment to the Maine workforce, the Maine industrial base, the maritime industrial base. Senator Collins, with your position on Appropriations in Washington\u2014I go down once a year\u2014I will say: You\u2019re one of the only ones that actually comes in and speaks to us. Usually, we\u2019re speaking to one of their underlings. So, we really appreciate that you take this so seriously and really understand the importance,\u201d said Sam Blatchford, CEO of ASA, at the event.\n\n\u201cSenator Collins, you\u2019ve been supporting manufacturing and American Steel and Aluminum for the last 30 years. It\u2019s really made a big difference. We used to be a general line steel service center and really didn\u2019t differentiate ourselves from some of the competition. We\u2019ve become an advanced manufacturing facility here. We\u2019re buying specialized equipment, we\u2019re adding value, we\u2019re contributing to national security. These are great jobs and this is just the start,\u201d said Scott Jones, president and CEO of ASA\u2019s parent company, Nova Steel, at the event.\n\nASA operates facilities in Saco, South Portland, Auburn, and West Bath and provides heavy-plate metal manufacturing and processing services to customers across a range of industries, including Maine\u2019s shipbuilding industry.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-15T05:23:20Z", "2026-08-15T05:24:50Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senators-collins-king-secure-48-million-for-new-downeaster-train-station-in-portland", "Senators Collins, King Secure $48 Million for New Downeaster Train Station in Portland", "2026-08-14", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Angus King today announced that they have secured federal funding to support the construction of a new Amtrak Downeaster station in Portland. More specifically, the $48,136,000 investment will help relocate Portland\u2019s existing station, improving the speed and reliability of passenger rail service in Maine.\n\n\u201cThe Downeaster is an essential transportation link for the people of Maine, connecting communities, supporting our economy, and providing a reliable alternative to getting in the car or boarding an airplane,\u201d said Maine\u2019s Senators. \u201cRelocating Portland\u2019s station to the mainline is a commonsense investment that will mean shorter trips, fewer delays, and better connections for passengers traveling throughout Maine and New England. We\u2019re proud to have helped secure this federal funding to help move this long-awaited project forward and strengthen passenger rail service for generations to come.\u201d\n\nThe project has been selected to advance through final design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction. The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA) will provide a 20 percent non-federal match. Amtrak\u2019s Downeaster provides daily passenger rail service connecting Brunswick and communities throughout southern Maine with Boston, Massachusetts. The service is managed by NNEPRA and serves communities including Freeport, Portland, Old Orchard Beach, Saco, and Wells.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-18T05:27:41Z", "2026-08-18T05:29:06Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senators-collins-king-announce-more-than-600000-in-innovation-awards-to-support-maines-forest-economy", "Senators Collins, King Announce More than $600,000 in Innovation Awards to Support Maine\u2019s Forest Economy", "2026-08-12", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) applauded a U.S. Forest Service announcement that Avedis Zildjian Co., ND Paper, Inc., and Robbins Lumber East Baldwin, LLC. have been awarded a combined $622,999 through the U.S. Forest Service\u2019s Wood Innovation Grant Program. These grants will support environmentally sustainable innovation and help expand markets for Maine\u2019s forest products.\n\n\u201cMaine\u2019s forest products industry is a vital part of our state\u2019s economy, and it is critical that this industry has the tools it needs to adapt to changing markets,\u201d said Senators Collins and King. \u201cThis funding will help ND Paper, Robbins Lumber, and Avedis Zildjian as they develop cutting-edge products, creating new opportunities for the forest products industry while supporting the rural communities that rely on it. We remain committed to supporting efforts to help Maine\u2019s forest economy continue to grow and thrive.\u201d\n\nSpecifically, the funding has been allocated as follows:\n\nND Paper, Inc. \u2013 $300,000 to upgrade wood processing equipment to enhance production by 15,000 tons annually while supporting low-value wood markets.\n\nRobbins Lumber East Baldwin, LLC. \u2013 $235,714 to upgrade sawmill processing technologies to improve operational efficiencies while supporting active forest management.\n\nAvedis Zildjian Co. \u2013 $87,285 to develop a wood energy system at a manufacturing facility to increase low-value wood markets by 1,500 tons annually.\n\n+++\n\nSenators Collins and King have both long been supporters of Maine\u2019s forest economy.\n\nSince 2024, Senator Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has secured $24 million through appropriations legislation to mitigate the spread of spruce budworm in Northern Maine. She has also ensured the inclusion of a provision recognizing biomass as carbon neutral across federal agencies in appropriations legislation for more than a decade. Last month, she announced a $20 million award to Maine\u2019s Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub\u2014a forest economy development initiative led by the University of Maine.\n\nSenator King is seen as a national leader in efforts to support Maine\u2019s forest products industry. King previously introduced the bipartisan Future Logging Careers Act to help train the next generation of Maine loggers and the bipartisan Timber Innovation for Building Rural Communities Act to improve forest health and support Maine\u2019s rural economy. He also introduced legislation to establish a \u201cFuture of Forests\u201d panel tasked with making recommendations to secure the health of America\u2019s forests. Senators King was key in establishing the Forest Opportunity Roadmap Maine (FOR/ME) Initiative, a participant-led initiative that is helping to diversify the state\u2019s wood products businesses, attract investments, support research and development, and develop greater economic prosperity for rural communities impacted by mill closures.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-13T06:17:16Z", "2026-08-13T06:18:13Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/icymi-new-mainecare-fraud-reporting-highlights-need-for-senator-collins-medicare-home-health-reform-bill", "ICYMI: New MaineCare Fraud Reporting Highlights Need for Senator Collins\u2019 Medicare Home Health Reform Bill", "2026-08-11", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 As troubling new reports detail alleged fraud, abuse, and inadequate oversight involving MaineCare providers, U.S. Senator Susan Collins has introduced the Medicare Home Health Payment Integrity and Protection Act to combat similar vulnerabilities in the Medicare home health program by stopping fraudulent payments before they are made.\n\nThe legislation would provide the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) with stronger tools to identify high-risk providers, authorize additional funding to investigate and prosecute organized schemes, and protect legitimate home health agencies from the financial consequences of payments made to fraudulent providers. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has joined the legislation as a cosponsor.\n\n\u201cThe recent allegations involving MaineCare providers are deeply troubling. While these cases in Maine involve Medicaid providers and my legislation focuses on the Medicare home health care program, they demonstrate the broader problem of unchecked health care fraud,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cFraud harms patients, wastes taxpayer dollars, and can reduce payments to honest providers, jeopardizing care for patients. My legislation would give CMS stronger tools to stop fraud before payments are made, provide additional resources to investigate and prosecute organized schemes, and help ensure that legitimate home health agencies are fairly reimbursed for the important care they provide.\u201d\n\nRecent reporting by Maine news outlets has brought renewed attention to fraud and inadequate oversight of MaineCare, Maine\u2019s Medicaid program:\n\nMaine Public reported last week that the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) suspended payments to five MaineCare providers based on \u201ccredible allegations of fraud.\u201d The state also terminated two providers because of serious health and safety risks and disenrolled 28 providers that had not submitted a claim within one year of enrollment. DHHS initially did not identify the providers but released their names following a request from Maine Public.\n\nThe Maine Wire reported this week that a state termination letter found that Paradise Residential Services \u201cfailed to ensure individuals are protected from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.\u201d The letter cited residents repeatedly being left without staff, a lack of food, unsanitary conditions, inadequate employee training and background checks, and failures involving medication management. The outlet reported that Paradise received nearly $25 million through MaineCare before the state terminated its provider agreement in March.\n\nSenator Collins\u2019 legislation would require additional identity verification before home health agencies can enroll in Medicare, impose heightened screening on agencies presenting an extreme risk of fraud, increase surveys and unannounced site visits, strengthen oversight of accrediting organizations, and authorize additional funding to investigate and prosecute organized home health fraud schemes.\n\nThe bill would also direct CMS to reset home health agency payment rates to account for fraud in the system and changes in the use of home health care since COVID-19. This would help prevent previous fraudulent spending from distorting reimbursements for legitimate providers nationwide, including the small and rural agencies serving many Maine seniors.\n\nClick here to read Senator Collins\u2019 original bill announcement and here to read the complete text of the legislation.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-12T06:18:38Z", "2026-08-12T06:20:33Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-announces-more-than-55-million-for-improvements-at-bangor-international-airport", "Senator Collins Announces More Than $5.5 Million for Improvements at Bangor International Airport", "2026-08-11", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that Bangor International Airport will receive a total of $5,534,795 to support important infrastructure improvements. The funding comes from the Federal Aviation Administration\u2019s (FAA) Fiscal Year 2026 Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) Program, which Senator Collins helped to establish.\n\n\u201cEnsuring that transportation needs across the State of Maine are met has been a priority of mine throughout my Senate service,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cA key focus of our negotiations over the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021 was addressing outdated infrastructure at our nation\u2019s airports. That is why we included historic investments in airport grant programs so that municipal, regional, and international airports and jetports across the country can provide safer and more efficient travel. As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue working to ensure that federal investments benefit our state\u2019s transportation network.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe $5.5 million Airport Infrastructure Grant for the rehabilitation of Taxiway A and Taxiway M is an important investment in the long-term safety and reliability of Bangor International Airport's airfield. This project will help ensure the airfield continues to safely and efficiently support commercial, cargo, military, and general aviation operations for years to come. We are grateful to Senator Susan Collins for her continued leadership and support of Bangor International Airport. Her commitment to investing in aviation infrastructure has helped airports across Maine make meaningful improvements that strengthen safety, support economic development, and better serve the traveling public,\u201d said Bangor International Airport Director Jose Saavedra.\n\nSpecifically, the funding from the AIG has been allocated as follows:\n\nBangor International Airport (BGR) \u2013 $5,534,795 to reconstruct 5,724 feet of Taxiway A pavement that has reached the end of its useful life and rehabilitate 900 feet of Taxiway M.\n\nSince joining the Appropriations Committee in 2009, Senator Collins has helped to secure more than $1 billion in competitive transportation grants for the State of Maine. In the past five years, Senator Collins has also secured more than $25 million in Congressionally Directed Spending for improvement projects at airports in Presque Isle, Fryeburg, Machias, and Brunswick.\n\nIn addition to her work as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins was one of 10 senators who negotiated the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021, which provided $15 billion for federal airport infrastructure grant programs.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-12T06:18:38Z", "2026-08-12T06:20:33Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-bipartisan-bill-to-allow-early-childhood-educators-to-deduct-out-of-pocket-purchases-of-classroom-supplies-passes-senate", "Senator Collins\u2019 Bipartisan Bill to Allow Early Childhood Educators to Deduct Out-of-Pocket Purchases of Classroom Supplies Passes Senate", "2026-08-07", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced today that the Senate passed the Supporting Early-Childhood Educators\u2019 Deductions (SEED) Act by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 86 to 11. This legislation, which Senator Collins introduced last year with Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), would ensure that early childhood educators can claim the same federal tax credit for out-of-pocket classroom supply purchases that is currently available to K-12 teachers. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.\n\n\u201cIn Maine and across the country, we are fortunate to have so many dedicated educators who work hard to ensure that every child has a learning environment that is safe, welcoming, and enriching,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cDespite tight personal budgets, it is truly remarkable how often teachers use money out of their own pockets to purchase classroom supplies for their students. As the author of the original tax credit for K-12 teachers, I am delighted to help lead this effort to expand this benefit to pre-K educators. The Senate\u2019s passage of this commonsense bill brings us one step closer to providing early childhood educators with tax relief for the resources they invest in our next generation.\u201d\n\nResearch shows that educators spend an average of $895 annually on supplies for their students. Yet, under current law, early childhood educators cannot deduct those out-of-pocket expenses.\n\nThe SEED Act would correct this and extend tax relief to the teachers working with America\u2019s youngest learners. The bill would expand the above-the-line $300 educator expense deduction, established for K-12 teachers in 2002, to also include pre-K and early childhood educators. This deduction helps offset hundreds of dollars teachers spend out of their own pockets each year on classroom supplies, books, and other learning materials.\n\nThe SEED Act is supported by a broad coalition of education and child advocacy organizations, including the Center for American Progress, the American Federation of Teachers, Teach For America, the First Five Years Fund, and Trying Together.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-08T05:41:38Z", "2026-08-08T05:43:24Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-introduces-bill-to-combat-medicare-home-health-fraud", "Senator Collins Introduces Bill to Combat Medicare Home Health Fraud", "2026-08-07", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins introduced legislation today to protect the Medicare home health program from fraud and strengthen access to these important services for the Americans who need them. The Medicare Home Health Payment Integrity and Protection Act would give the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) additional tools to prevent and detect fraud while helping ensure that legitimate home health agencies are fairly reimbursed for the care they provide.\n\n\u201cWhen billions of dollars are improperly siphoned from the Medicare home health program, this can undermine the integrity of the payment system used to reimburse legitimate providers and threaten care for the seniors who depend on it. I have long been a strong supporter of home health care, which allows millions of Americans to remain in the comfort, security, and privacy of their own homes, while helping to avoid unnecessary hospitalizations and nursing home admissions,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cFraudulent home health providers harm beneficiaries and diminish reimbursements for honest agencies that are already confronting workforce shortages and rising costs. My legislation would give CMS stronger tools to stop fraud before payments are made and prevent fraudulent spending from distorting the data used to reimburse honest agencies for medically necessary care.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe National Alliance for Care at Home applauds the introduction of the Medicare Home Health Payment Integrity and Protection Act by Senator Susan Collins. This bill corrects longstanding flaws in home health reimbursement and takes a meaningful step toward a home health benefit that is stable and built for how care is delivered today. We strongly support the bill for its payment reforms, as well as measures to protect patients and preserve the integrity of the Medicare home health benefit. Consistent with our community\u2019s commitment to provide the highest-quality, person-centered care in the home, we support the bill\u2019s goal to strengthen access while focusing on targeted oversight, protecting the legitimate providers who serve patients every day. We look forward to working with Senator Collins, a long-time champion of care at home, to build support for this important and timely legislation,\u201d said Jennifer Sheets, CEO of the National Alliance for Care at Home.\n\n\u201cSenator Collins, a longtime champion of Medicare home health, appreciates the shortcomings of current Medicare home health payment approaches, as this bill demonstrates. We are particularly encouraged by its recognition that the standard prospective payment amount requires recalibration. We appreciate Senator Collins\u2019 leadership in presenting a much-needed reset of the Medicare home health payment to promote its stability and ensure access. In addition, we also share the desire to address fraud in the home health setting. LeadingAge has long expressed concern about the disproportionate increase in home health providers in Los Angeles County. This bill\u2019s oversight provisions are reasonable, appropriately targeted policies that would help maintain the benefit\u2019s integrity. Those, along with the important proposed payment changes, will help to ensure support for legitimate providers\u2014including our nonprofit and mission-driven members. We look forward to working with Senator Collins to advance this legislation,\u201d said Katie Smith Sloan, President and CEO of LeadingAge.\n\n\u201cVNS Health applauds Senator Susan Collins for introducing the Medicare Home Health Payment Integrity and Protection Act. For more than 130 years, VNS Health has cared for vulnerable New Yorkers in their homes and communities. From rural Maine to urban New York and across the country, older adults face a common and growing challenge: obtaining the skilled care they need to remain safe and independent at home. Yet each year, hundreds of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries are unable to access that care. Senator Collins' legislation offers a thoughtful path forward by addressing years of unjustified payment cuts that have harmed seniors' access to care. It also includes sensible and effective program integrity measures that target bad actors without penalizing responsible providers, undermining access, or jeopardizing the agencies that care for patients with the greatest needs. We urge Congress to advance this important legislation,\u201d said Dan Lowenstein, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for VNS Health.\n\nDespite the rapid aging of the U.S. population, the number of traditional Medicare beneficiaries receiving home health services declined from approximately 3.3 million in 2019 to 2.7 million in 2024. Excluding California, more than 500 Medicare-certified home health agencies closed during that period, a decline of five percent. In California, however, the number of Medicare-certified home health agencies nearly doubled, with almost all of the growth occurring in Los Angeles County.\n\nAlthough Los Angeles County is home to only two percent of the nation\u2019s Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, it accounts for nine percent of Medicare fee-for-service home health expenditures nationwide. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and the California State Auditor have raised significant concern about fraud and abuse associated with the unusual concentration of home health agencies and spending in the county.\n\nThe consequences of this questionable concentration of agencies and spending can extend far beyond Los Angeles County. Fraudulent or improper payments can distort the data underlying Medicare\u2019s home health payment system and diminish reimbursements for legitimate providers nationwide. This can fall especially hard on small, rural agencies like those serving many Maine seniors, which already confront workforce shortages, rising costs, and the challenges of providing care across large geographic areas.\n\nSpecifically, the Medicare Home Health Payment Integrity and Protection Act would:\n\nRequire that the identity of home health administrators be verified before agencies are enrolled and authorized to provide services;\n\nRequire proof of liability insurance for agencies that exhibit high risk of fraud;\n\nProvide the Administrator with the authority to determine the factors that indicate that an agency presents an extreme risk of fraud, and to impose heightened screening requirements on such agencies;\n\nRequire much more frequent surveys of newly enrolled home health agencies, agencies that undergo ownership changes, and agencies that reactivate their billing privileges;\n\nIncrease inspections of home health agencies that fail to submit quality data to CMS, or that engage in practices that are aberrant or signal fraudulent behavior;\n\nIncrease financial penalties for failing to report quality data;\n\nRequire accrediting agencies that work with CMS to meet or exceed CMS standards;\n\nRequire CMS training of home health surveyors for accreditation purposes;\n\nEstablish ongoing CMS oversight of accrediting organizations and provide CMS with authority to terminate deficient accreditors;\n\nDirect CMS to \u201creset\u201d home health agency payment rates to adjust for fraud in the system as well as changes in the use of home health care since Covid;\n\nAuthorize funding for CMS and federal law enforcement agencies for the investigation and prosecution of organized home health fraud schemes;\n\nAuthorize funding for CMS and its state agency partners to conduct accelerated surveys, enrollment validation, unannounced site visits, and operational verification of home health agencies; and\n\nProvide CMS with rulemaking authority to carry out its provisions and require it to report to Congress.\n\nClick here to read the complete text of the legislation.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-08T05:41:38Z", "2026-08-08T05:43:24Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-statement-on-senate-passage-of-bipartisan-russia-and-iran-sanctions-bill", "Senator Collins\u2019 Statement on Senate Passage of Bipartisan Russia & Iran Sanctions Bill", "2026-08-07", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins issued the following statement today after the Senate passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act by a vote of 86 to 11:\n\n\u201cAs an original cosponsor of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, I was pleased to see the bill pass the Senate today with overwhelming support from both sides of the aisle.\n\n\u201cVladimir Putin launched an unprovoked war four and a half years ago, and Ukraine has resisted his aggression valiantly and with inspiring resolve. Russia\u2019s energy sales and shadow fleet are the engine of its war machine, and sanctioning them will help bring this brutal conflict to a quicker end.\n\n\u201cThis bill also extends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996, which is critical to denying Iran resources for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and its support for terrorism through its proxies. For nearly 47 years, the Iranian regime and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have threatened both the United States and broader stability in the Middle East.\n\n\u201cMy friend and colleague Lindsey Graham worked tirelessly to advance this bill. The passage of this legislation named in his honor is a fitting tribute to his legacy of leadership on these critical issues.\n\n\u201cThis bill is important not only for America\u2019s national security, but also for the security of our European and Middle Eastern allies. I applaud my colleagues for joining together to make clear the Senate\u2019s determination to stand with our allies and to hold Russia and Iran accountable.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-08T05:41:38Z", "2026-08-08T05:43:24Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-bipartisan-bill-to-expand-federal-worker-access-to-health-care-advances-out-of-committee-by-voice-vote", "Senator Collins\u2019 Bipartisan Bill to Expand Federal Worker Access to Health Care Advances Out of Committee by Voice Vote", "2026-08-06", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced that the bipartisan Improving Access to Workers\u2019 Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act that she introduced with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) advanced out of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs by voice vote. The bill now heads to the Senate floor for consideration by the full body.\n\n\u201cIn a large, rural state like Maine, finding access to health care close to home can be a challenge. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants help to fill in this gap by providing quality medical services to local communities,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cBy allowing injured federal workers to be treated by these professionals, our bipartisan bill would help prevent the need for long and difficult travel, reduce wait times for care, and improve employees\u2019 overall health and wellbeing. Today\u2019s committee approval of this bill reflects broad bipartisan agreement that this unnecessary barrier to care should be removed.\u201d\n\nCurrently, federal employees\u2014including the more than 12,000 working in Maine\u2014can select a Physician Assistant (PA) or a Nurse Practitioner (NP) as their primary health care provider within the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. However, the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) permits only a physician to make diagnoses, certify injuries and the extent of a disability, and oversee a federal employee\u2019s treatment and care when they are injured on the job.\n\nThe Improving Access to Workers\u2019 Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act would amend FECA to allow PAs and NPs to certify injuries and oversee treatment for federal workers with injuries or illnesses that occurred on the job, when doing so is consistent with the scope of their practice under state law.\n\nThe bill has been endorsed by dozens of organizations, including the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), the American Academy of Physician Associates, the American Academy of Nursing, the PA Education Association, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the American Federation of Government Employees, and the National Federation of Federal Employees.\n\n\u201cThe American Association of Nurse Practitioners, on behalf of the over 461,000 nurse practitioners nationwide, commends Senators Collins and Blumenthal, Chairman Paul and Ranking Member Peters for their leadership on passing S. 3296, the Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act, out of Committee. As a dual board-certified nurse practitioner in Portland, Maine, I know the importance of this legislation to federal employees. Authorizing NPs to certify federal workplace injuries and oversee the patient's treatment and care will ensure injured federal employees receive the care they need from their chosen and trusted health care providers to get them back to work sooner,\u201dsaid AANP President Valerie J. Fuller, PhD, DNP.\n\nThe complete text of the bill can be read here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-07T06:11:19Z", "2026-08-07T06:12:42Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-delivers-floor-remarks-ahead-of-unanimous-senate-passage-of-her-bill-to-combat-lyme-and-other-tick-borne-diseases", "Senator Collins Delivers Floor Remarks Ahead of Unanimous Senate Passage of Her Bill to Combat Lyme and Other Tick-Borne Diseases", "2026-08-06", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE for a full-resolution image.\n\nClick HERE to watch and HERE to download video of her remarks.\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced that the bipartisan Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act she introduced with Senator Tina Smith (D-MN)\u2014with Senator Angus King (I-ME) joining them as an original cosponsor\u2014passed the Senate unanimously. Senator Collins spoke from the Senate floor prior to passage of the bill.\n\nThe bill reauthorizes initiatives and programs to combat tick-borne diseases first established through the original Kay Hagan Tick Act, which Senators Collins and Smith led to passage in 2019. The Senators named their bill in honor of former Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC), who passed away in October of 2019 due to complications from the tick-borne disease known as the Powassan virus.\n\n\u201cOur bipartisan legislation strengthens federal efforts to confront the alarming public health threat posed by Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses,\u201d said Senator Collins during her remarks. \u201cEach year, the state of Maine has hit a new record high in the number of cases for Lyme disease. Current projections show that 2026 will yet again be a record-setting year. This is a record that we do not want to set.\u201d\n\n\u201cNevertheless, I am encouraged that we are making progress. A clinical trial for a Lyme disease vaccine is underway right now at the MaineHealth Institute for Research,\u201d she continued. \u201cEvery year my beloved labrador retriever can get a vaccine for tick diseases, and yet we humans cannot. I\u2019m hoping this clinical trial will be successful, and it will make a real difference. Reauthorizing the Kay Hagan Tick Act would allow crucial projects such as that research and public education campaigns to continue.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe University of Maine has an excellent lab that specializes in testing ticks for pathogens, and it has worked very closely with our game wardens, with foresters, with others who are routinely in the woods of Maine and are exposed to tick bites. It actually has developed a little tick kit where you can send the tick into the lab, and it will be tested for pathogens. So, I would be remiss if I did not salute the University of Maine for its excellent work on tick-borne illnesses. This legislation is going to make a big difference in helping to advance their work as well as the research at the MaineHealth Institute for Research,\u201d Senator Collins concluded.\n\nCases of Lyme disease reached a new record level in Maine last year, after doing the same the year before, with more than 4,200 cases being reported statewide. The Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act aims to confront the growing public health threat posed by Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases by reauthorizing federal efforts to improve research, prevention, diagnostics, and treatment for these diseases.\n\nUsing a three-pronged approach, the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act would:\n\nReauthorize Regional Centers of Excellence in Vector-Borne Disease for five years. These Centers have led the scientific response against tick-borne diseases, which now make up 75 percent of vector-borne diseases in the U.S. There are four centers located at universities in California, Florida, Texas, and Wisconsin. Funding for these centers, which was allotted in 2017, expired last year.\n\nReauthorize CDC Grants to State Health Departments to improve data collection and analysis, support early detection and diagnosis, improve treatment, and raise awareness of vector-borne diseases. These awards would help states continue building and maintaining a public health infrastructure for Lyme and other vector-borne diseases and amplify their initiatives through public-private partnerships.\n\nRequire the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to continue implementing and updating, as appropriate, its National Public Health Strategy to Prevent and Control Vector-Borne Diseases in People. This strategy has been integral in efforts to expand research into tick-borne diseases, improve testing and diagnostics, and coordinate efforts across the federal government.\n\n\u201cReauthorization of the Kay Hagan Tick Act represents a critical commitment to addressing the growing threat of ticks and tick-borne diseases in Maine and across the country. Sustained federal support will strengthen surveillance, research, prevention, and public health response while helping translate scientific advances into practical protections for individuals and communities. We appreciate Senator Collins\u2019 continued support on an issue that affects so many Maine people,\u201d said Griffin Dill, Director of the University of Maine Tick Lab.\n\n\u201cThe passage of the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act is a landmark victory for millions of Americans impacted by tick-borne diseases and a major step forward for public health. As a North Carolinian, it is especially meaningful to see Senator Kay Hagan's legacy continue through legislation that will strengthen our nation's response to these increasingly common and complex illnesses. As someone whose own life has been profoundly shaped by tick-borne disease, I know firsthand the devastating consequences these infections can have on individuals and families. This law represents hope\u2014hope for better prevention, stronger public health infrastructure, greater support for states and communities, and faster progress toward the diagnostics, treatments, and care that patients have waited far too long to receive. We are grateful to the bipartisan champions in Congress who made this achievement possible and look forward to working with federal agencies to ensure its successful implementation,\u201d said Meghan Bradshaw, MPH, Executive Director of the Center for Lyme Action.\n\n\u201cVector-borne diseases, particularly those transmitted by ticks, represent a rapidly expanding burden on the nation\u2019s public health system. Incidence rates of diseases such as Lyme, alpha-gal syndrome, anaplasmosis, and others have increased significantly over the past two decades, underscoring the urgent need for a coordinated, science-based national response. The Kay Hagan Tick Act is an important part of strengthening federal coordination, enhancing surveillance, and supporting research on vector-borne diseases. Reauthorization of this legislation will ensure continued progress in several critical areas, including improving diagnostic tools, expanding public health infrastructure, advancing integrated vector management strategies, and fostering collaboration across federal, state, and local agencies. The Entomological Society of America is very grateful to Senator Collins for her critical leadership on this issue, and thanks the many other offices that joined as co-sponsors,\u201d said Erin Cadwalader, Ph.D., Director of Strategic Leadership and Policy for the Entomological Society of America.\n\nThe complete text of the bill can be read here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-07T06:11:19Z", "2026-08-07T06:12:42Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-presses-administration-to-review-impact-of-canada-tariffs-meets-with-canadian-ambassador", "Senator Collins Presses Administration to Review Impact of Canada Tariffs, Meets with Canadian Ambassador", "2026-08-06", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE and HERE for individual photos.\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins wrote to Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer requesting that they provide Maine businesses with greater clarity and notice regarding tariffs on Canadian goods scheduled to take effect on August 19 and consider the tariffs\u2019 expected negative impact on Maine\u2019s economy prior to any potential implementation.\n\nThe proposed 50 percent tariffs cover more than 500 categories of Canadian imports. Maine imports approximately $2 billion in non-petroleum products from Canada each year, and the new tariffs could apply to 5.5 percent of those goods. Maine businesses in industries including paper and concrete have raised concerns that insufficient domestic supply could leave them with no choice but to pay tariffs that could jeopardize their viability and the jobs they support. Maine manufacturers are also worried that potential retaliatory tariffs could disproportionately harm them because Canadians are among their most loyal customers.\n\nThis action comes the same day that Senator Collins met with the recently appointed Canadian Ambassador to the United States, Mark Wiseman. During their meeting, Senator Collins discussed her outreach to Secretary Lutnick and Trade Representative Greer as well as her other efforts to help mitigate the harm caused by tariffs on Canadian goods. They also discussed how the ongoing review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) presents an opportunity to address trade concerns while preserving the close economic relationship between Maine and Canada.\n\n\u201cWith only a month of warning, businesses in Maine and across the United States are being asked to avoid Canadian imports or face tariffs of 50 percent on these specific products,\u201d Senator Collins wrote in her letter. \u201cSmall businesses, which lack large legal departments, have shared with me how difficult it is to navigate this new list and determine the impact of these tariffs.\u201d\n\n\u201cI recognize the need for strong domestic industries that bolster our supply chains. For Mainers, however, Canada is often the closest source of goods in those supply chains. Maine borders only one state, New Hampshire, but shares a 611-mile border with Canada,\u201d she continued. \u201cIt has 24 land ports of entry. Since the tariffs were announced, I have heard from businesses in industries including paper and concrete that insufficient domestic supply will leave them no choice but to pay tariffs at a rate that could jeopardize the viability of their businesses and the good jobs they provide.\u201d\n\n\u201cDuring the peak summer season, Maine\u2019s forest products industry, agricultural sector, and construction companies need to focus on how they can best succeed, not on determining how new government tariffs will affect them. I hope you will consider the unique needs of Maine businesses and municipalities as you implement policies and negotiate agreements affecting American workers and companies,\u201d Senator Collins concluded.\n\nClick here to read her complete letter.\n\n+++\n\nSenator Collins has repeatedly opposed broad tariffs on Canadian goods and worked to protect Maine businesses and communities from their effects. In April 2025, she delivered remarks on the Senate floor in support of a resolution to end the emergency declaration being used to impose tariffs on Canadian goods; joined a bipartisan group in introducing the Trade Review Act of 2025, which would reassert Congress\u2019 constitutional authority over tariffs; and urged the Administration to exempt previously contracted fire truck orders from tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum that were expected to increase the cost of each truck by $80,000 to $90,000. In July 2025, she joined a bipartisan group in introducing the Creating Access to Necessary American-Canadian Duty Adjustments (CANADA) Act, which would exempt U.S.-owned small businesses from tariffs on Canadian imports. In December 2025, she requested targeted tariff relief for Maine\u2019s wild blueberry producers, including an exemption for specialized Canadian equipment used to harvest, process, and mow the crop.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-07T06:11:19Z", "2026-08-07T06:12:42Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-statement-on-nomination-of-todd-blanche-to-serve-as-attorney-general", "Senator Collins\u2019 Statement on Nomination of Todd Blanche to Serve as Attorney General", "2026-08-04", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins issued the following statement on the nomination of Todd Blanche to serve as United States Attorney General:\n\n\u201cI have carefully reviewed Todd Blanche\u2019s qualifications to be Attorney General. This includes his record and responses to questions from Senators at the Department of Justice Appropriations hearing, his confirmation hearing, and in the weeks that followed.\n\n\u201cWhile I believe Mr. Blanche is a capable lawyer, the Department of Justice has become increasingly political.\n\n\u201cMr. Blanche has taken several actions that have further eroded the Department\u2019s independence, and that is the basis for my vote to oppose his confirmation:\n\n\u201cMr. Blanche approved an order to shield the President, his sons, and the family business from IRS audits, protections unavailable to other American taxpayers.\n\n\u201cHe approved the creation of a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund.\n\n\u201cHe promised an anti-abortion organization that he would seek to prohibit the mailing of abortion medication to women nationwide.\n\n\u201cUnder his leadership, the Department attempted to indict Senators Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin over their ill-advised, but constitutionally protected, videos encouraging resistance to unlawful orders.\n\n\u201cMore than 1,200 former Department of Justice employees have opposed his nomination, arguing that he has undermined the institution.\n\n\u201cFor these reasons, I will vote against this nomination.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-05T07:37:37Z", "2026-08-05T07:38:44Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-speaks-at-christening-of-future-uss-william-charette-at-biw", "Senator Collins Speaks at Christening of Future USS William Charette at BIW", "2026-08-01", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nBATH, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins delivered remarks today at the christening ceremony for the future USS William Charette (DDG-130) at Bath Iron Works (BIW). Senator Collins was joined at the event by Governor Janet Mills, Senator Angus King, Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao, BIW President Chuck Krugh, and members of the Charette family.\n\nThe future USS William Charette, built at Bath Iron Works, was christened in honor of Master Chief Hospital Corpsman William Charette. During the Korean War, then-Hospital Corpsman Third Class Charette repeatedly braved enemy fire to treat wounded Marines. When an enemy grenade landed near a Marine he was aiding, Charette shielded him with his own body, and despite suffering his own wounds, continued treating casualties. His actions, which were directly responsible for saving the lives of many American service members, earned him the Medal of Honor.\n\n\u201cToday we christen the DDG-130 with the name of a Medal of Honor recipient who exemplified the highest ideals of America and the United States Navy. Through this ship, his courage, humility, and devotion to others will continue to inspire generations of sailors,\u201d said Senator Collins during her remarks. \u201cArleigh Burke-class destroyers form the backbone of the Navy\u2019s surface fleet. To the men and women of Bath Iron Works, you make \u2018Bath Built is Best Built\u2019 not just a slogan, but a way of life. As global threats continue to grow and our adversaries continue to expand their naval fleets, investing in a strong and capable United States Navy and a robust defense manufacturing base here at home is essential.\u201d\n\nSenator Collins has long championed Bath Iron Works and its skilled shipbuilders. Since 2020, she has secured more than $10.9 billion in Navy contract obligations related to DDG-51 destroyers and advocated for more than $3 billion in advance procurement funding to support long-lead materials and future production. These efforts build on the $16 billion she secured for Bath-built destroyers between 2008 and 2020.\n\nShe has also secured more than $1 billion for shipyard infrastructure improvements, including modernization projects at BIW, as well as $200 million for wage enhancements and more than $34 million for BIW workforce initiatives. The workforce funding supports expanded training and assistance with housing, child care, and transportation.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-02T07:31:21Z", "2026-08-02T07:32:50Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-announces-jetblue-to-continue-providing-essential-air-service-to-presque-isle", "Senator Collins Announces JetBlue to Continue Providing Essential Air Service to Presque Isle", "2026-07-31", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation has selected JetBlue to continue providing Essential Air Service (EAS) to Presque Isle.\n\nUnder the agreement, which covers a two-year term from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2028, JetBlue will provide seven round trips per week from Presque Isle International Airport (PQI) to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) using a 140-passenger Airbus A220-300.\n\n\u201cReliable access to commercial air service is critical to the residents and businesses of Aroostook County, connecting them to destinations across the country and supporting economic growth throughout the region,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cI welcome the selection of JetBlue to continue providing service between Presque Isle and Boston. As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to support robust funding for the Essential Air Service program, which helps sustain commercial air service in rural communities that might otherwise lack access to the national air transportation network.\u201d\n\nSenator Collins secured $20,462,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending in 2024 to construct a new passenger terminal at PQI. The new passenger terminal will fully replace the airport\u2019s outdated existing terminal that was built in 1954, be fully ADA compliant to ensure accessibility for all passengers, incorporate modern features, and meet updated Federal Aviation Administration design standards. Senator Collins took part in the groundbreaking for the new terminal last year.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-01T07:27:26Z", "2026-08-01T07:28:22Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-bipartisan-group-introduce-legislation-to-strengthen-cftc-whistleblower-program", "Senator Collins, Bipartisan Group Introduce Legislation to Strengthen CFTC Whistleblower Program", "2026-07-31", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins joined Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) to introduce the CFTC Whistleblower Protection and Program Improvement Act. This bill would help provide long-term stability to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) whistleblower program, strengthen protections for whistleblowers, and speed up the processing of whistleblower claims.\n\n\u201cThe Commodity Futures Trading Commission plays a crucial role in protecting American commodity markets, and safeguarding its whistleblower program helps maintain public trust in the integrity of those markets,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThis bipartisan bill would provide long-term stability for the CFTC whistleblower program by strengthening protections for whistleblowers, promoting the timely processing of claims, and eliminating a loophole that can prevent whistleblowers from receiving awards.\u201d\n\n\u201cSince I helped get the CFTC whistleblower program up and running, I\u2019m pleased to see it\u2019s been a big success. This program roots out waste, fraud and abuse in the commodities trading industry and operates at no charge to the taxpayer. Now, it\u2019s time for Congress to act so its success can continue. Our bipartisan legislation strengthens protections for patriotic whistleblowers, prevents unnecessary delays in the disbursement of whistleblower awards and ensures the CFTC whistleblower program can operate smoothly,\u201d said Senator Grassley.\n\n\u201cWhistleblowers put their jobs and often their lives on the line to call out the most serious offenses in the workplace. Zero doubt that they should be protected,\u201d said Senator Fetterman. \u201cAs a member of the Agriculture Committee, I\u2019m proud to introduce this bipartisan bill with Senator Grassley to protect whistleblowers and improve the CFTC whistleblower program.\u201d\n\nThe CFTC Whistleblower Program and Customer Protection Fund (CPF) were founded in 2010. The CPF, which is funded through penalties and fines resulting from enforcement actions, pays awards to whistleblowers who report wrongdoing to the CFTC. The CPF also provides for the operating expenses and educational initiatives associated with the CFTC Whistleblower Program. Since issuing its first award in 2014, the CPF has awarded more than $430 million to whistleblowers and collected more than $3.7 billion in monetary sanctions from violators.\n\nUnder current law, the CPF\u2019s maximum balance is capped at $100 million. Any fines collected after the cap is reached are sent to the Treasury Department\u2019s general fund. As fines from whistleblower disclosures have increased in volume and value in recent years, reward disbursements have also risen. As a result, the CPF is depleting faster than it can be replenished due to the $100 million collection cap. This risks leaving the CFTC without the resources needed to pay whistleblowers or fund its operations.\n\nThe CFTC Whistleblower Protection and Program Improvement Act would help to address this problem and strengthen the program by:\n\nEnhancing protections for CFTC whistleblowers;\n\nMaking permanent the separate account that funds the CFTC Whistleblower Office;\n\nRaising the CPF cap from $100 million to $300 million;\n\nEnsuring whistleblower claims are processed in a timely manner;\n\nEliminating a court-created loophole prohibiting whistleblowers from receiving an award because a company declared bankruptcy; and\n\nEnsuring CFTC-regulated entities inform their employees of their whistleblower rights.\n\nClick here to read the complete text of this legislation.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-01T07:27:26Z", "2026-08-01T07:28:22Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-legislation-to-block-transfer-of-offices-from-the-department-of-education-clears-committee", "Senator Collins\u2019 Legislation to Block Transfer of Offices from the Department of Education Clears Committee", "2026-07-30", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE to watch and HERE to download video of Senator Collins discussing the bill during the HELP Committee markup.\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins joined with Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in introducing legislation that would prevent the Department of Education from transferring critical offices to other federal agencies that lack the staff and expertise needed to execute their missions. The bill was considered at a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee markup today, where the bill advanced by a bipartisan vote of 13 to 9.\n\nSpecifically, the senators\u2019 legislation would prevent the Department from transferring the Offices of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), Postsecondary Education (OPE), Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), and Indian Education to any other federal agency. The legislation has been endorsed by the Bipartisan Policy Center, the National Education Association, and the American Federation of Teachers.\n\n\u201cThis bill is straightforward. It keeps the administration of important landmark education programs at the Department of Education where Congress specifically put them and where they belong,\u201d said Senator Collins during the markup. \u201cThese transfers are misaligned with their program purposes. For example, the Administration has an agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services to administer the education office that manages the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, known as IDEA. That change fundamentally misunderstands the history and intent of the Special Education program, which was created in 1975 to ensure that children with disabilities receive a free and appropriate public education. Today, this office helps meet the education needs of more than 8 million children with disabilities. It\u2019s primarily focused on the student\u2019s education needs, not on their health care needs. Prior to IDEA, far too many children with disabilities did not receive an education.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s students and economy depend on the quality of our schools,\u201d said Senator Kaine. \u201cThat\u2019s why I worked on a bipartisan solution to bar the Department of Education from transferring critical offices and programs\u2014including those that students with disabilities rely on\u2014to other federal agencies that lack the staff and expertise needed to carry out their work. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and will continue to do all I can to ensure that the Department is setting students up for success.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are long overdue for a serious national conversation about updating the federal role in education for the 21st century. That is a debate worth having. But dismantling the Department of Education piece by piece and shuffling programs between agencies is not reform. Sens. Tim Kaine, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski deserve real credit for working together on this critical effort, and I look forward to working with them and other members on reforms that will ensure every child has access to a high-quality education,\u201d said Margaret Spellings, President and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center and former Secretary of Education under President George W. Bush.\n\nThe National Education Association (NEA) urged senators to \u201cvote yes on S. 5046 to prohibit transferring specified Department of Education offices and functions to other federal agencies\u2014as well as any amendments to prevent implementing current or future inter-agency agreements (IAAs). The Trump administration\u2019s illegal push to dismantle the Department of Education (ED) promises \u2018less bureaucracy.\u2019 In reality, it is hurting the students who are our nation\u2019s future leaders and workforce, while creating more bureaucracy and new hurdles for those seeking to educate our nation\u2019s youth,\u201d said Kimberly Johnson Trinca, Director of Government Relations for the NEA.\n\n\u201cThe moves to dismantle the Department of Education by dispersing its functions to other federal departments have been particularly damaging. The administration has created a multiagency structure with overlapping responsibilities, duplicated costs and unclear chains of accountability. This is neither streamlining nor reform\u2014it\u2019s an abdication and abandonment of America\u2019s future. S. 5046 would ensure that American families have access to that expertise by prohibiting the Department of Education from transferring the offices overseeing special education, postsecondary education, elementary and secondary education, and Native American education programs to other agencies. The bipartisan bill will protect students, families, schools and communities from losing the support to which they are entitled under law,\u201d said Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers.\n\nClick here to read the complete text of the legislation.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-31T07:49:23Z", "2026-07-31T07:50:48Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/maine-delegation-calls-on-dea-to-clarify-rule-threatening-maine-ems-providers-with-new-costs", "Maine Delegation Calls on DEA to Clarify Rule Threatening Maine EMS Providers with New Costs", "2026-07-29", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King (I-ME) and Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01) and Jared Golden (D-ME-02) are calling on the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to quickly clarify federal guidance that is threatening Maine emergency medical services (EMS) agencies with new costs.\n\nIn a letter to DEA Administrator Terrance Cole, the lawmakers explained that uncertainty surrounding the DEA's implementation of a 2017 law has led several Maine hospital systems to end longstanding agreements that allowed local EMS agencies to obtain certain emergency supplies and medications through their hospital partners. Without these agreements, EMS agencies have begun to spend thousands of their own dollars on these expenses, likely resulting in increased costs for patients as providers seek to recoup the additional expenses.\n\nThe Controlled Substances Act (CSA), along with related DEA regulations, requires registration for any practice that dispenses controlled substances. Prior to 2017, the CSA did not directly mention EMS, and thus EMS departments historically were not required to register to procure or dispense controlled substances \u2013 allowing EMS to acquire medications and supplies from hospital partners to do their critical work.\n\n\u201cWe write today to request that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issue clarifying guidance regarding implementation of the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medicines Act of 2017 (PPAEMA),\u201d the lawmakers began. \u201cAs you know, PPAEMA amended the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to allow Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agencies to obtain independent registrations to administer controlled substances. This statutory change was intended to codify existing law and ensure EMS responders operate seamlessly under the supervision of a licensed physician. Unfortunately, the DEA\u2019s subsequent final rule has created disruption and confusion for Maine\u2019s healthcare system.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe conflicting interpretations of this rule have led our state\u2019s largest hospital networks to abruptly terminate long-standing agreements held with local EMS providers for such medical supplies. Therefore, swift clarification from the DEA is urgently needed not only to prevent exorbitant, unexpected costs from being forced onto Maine\u2019s EMS agencies but also to preserve vital local partnerships,\u201d the lawmakers continued.\n\n\u201cTherefore, we ask DEA to issue clarifying guidance as soon as possible to prevent further confusion and to ensure more unnecessary costs are not borne by our EMS agencies. Thank you for your attention to our request, and we look forward to your response,\u201d the lawmakers concluded.\n\nClick here to read the complete text of the letter.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-30T07:32:48Z", "2026-07-30T07:34:08Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-walks-in-casco-days-grand-parade", "Senator Collins Walks in Casco Days Grand Parade", "2026-07-25", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nCASCO, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins took part in the Casco Days Grand Parade, a highlight of the annual Casco Days celebration that raises funds for the Casco Fire Association and the community organizations it supports. Senator Collins joined marching bands, community groups, and a procession of floats, vintage cars, and fire trucks through the Town of Casco.\n\n\u201cSince 1934, Casco Days has brought the Lakes Region community together to raise money for local causes, and I am grateful to the many volunteers whose time and dedication make this celebration possible year after year,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cIt was a pleasure to take part in the Grand Parade today and see Casco filled with families, friends, and neighbors enjoying this cherished summer tradition.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-26T07:35:04Z", "2026-07-26T07:36:32Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/icymi-politico-highlights-advance-of-senator-collins-bipartisan-35-insulin-cap", "ICYMI: POLITICO Highlights Advance of Senator Collins\u2019 Bipartisan $35 Insulin Cap", "2026-07-23", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 POLITICO highlighted the bipartisan Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee vote to advance the INSULIN Act, landmark legislation led by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and John Kennedy (R-LA).\n\nThe legislation advanced by a vote of 17-5, with six Republicans joining all 11 Democrats on the Committee. The bill would cap monthly out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 for Americans with private insurance and create a pilot program to help uninsured patients access insulin at the same price.\n\n\u201cHealth Committee advances Collins\u2019 insulin price cap over GOP objections\u201d\n\nPOLITICO | Simon Levien\n\n\u201cThe Republican-led Senate Health Committee voted Wednesday to advance legislation over the objection of its chair to cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month for diabetes patients on private insurance.\n\n\u201cOne of the chief sponsors of the INSULIN Act is Maine Republican Susan Collins, who Democrats are banking on beating in November in order to regain control of the chamber.\n\n\u201cCollins immediately touted the bill\u2019s committee approval in a statement, saying that it showed how effective she is at working with Democrats. \u2018Too many patients [are] struggling to afford lifesaving insulin,\u2019 she said. \u2018I will keep working across the aisle to lower costs, strengthen Maine\u2019s health care workforce, and help better ensure that people in every part of our state can access quality, affordable care close to home.\u2019\n\n\u201cThe measure was approved 17-5 with the panel\u2019s 11 Democrats joined by six Republicans. Five Republicans voted no, including Chair Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a highly unusual outcome.\n\n\u201cBut the backing of six Republicans showed how much the GOP has shifted in the Trump era in its willingness to pressure businesses to cut prices and even use the power of government to force companies to do so.\u201d [\u2026]\n\n+++\n\nFollowing the Committee vote, Senators Collins, Shaheen, Warnock, and Kennedy issued the following statement celebrating the continued bipartisan support for their legislation:\n\n\u201cWe applaud the advancement of our bipartisan legislation to make insulin more affordable out of the Senate HELP Committee. We are glad that our colleagues on the Committee agreed that action is sorely needed to lower health care costs for American families, including the millions of people who need insulin every day just to survive but struggle to make ends meet. Today\u2019s vote brings us another step closer to making insulin affordable and available to those whose lives depend on it and demonstrates the continued bipartisan momentum behind our legislation. We will continue to work every day to get this vital piece of legislation to the Senate floor for a vote.\u201d\n\nThe INSULIN Act is backed by 29 senators from both parties. In addition to Senators Collins, Shaheen, Warnock, and Kennedy, supporters include Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Angus King (I-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Katie Britt (R-AL), Chris Coons (D-DE), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jim Justice (R-WV), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Joni Ernst (R-IA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jim Banks (R-IN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Mark Warner (D-VA).\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-24T07:30:11Z", "2026-07-24T07:31:13Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-bipartisan-bill-to-expand-rural-access-to-maternal-health-care-advances-out-of-committee", "Senator Collins\u2019 Bipartisan Bill to Expand Rural Access to Maternal Health Care Advances Out of Committee", "2026-07-22", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, at a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee markup, the Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act advanced by a bipartisan vote of 21 to 1. This bill, introduced by U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Katie Britt (R-AL), and Tina Smith (D-MN), would help prepare rural hospitals and practitioners to handle the obstetric emergencies that come through their doors as more delivery units, particularly those in rural areas, are being forced into closure. The bill now moves to the Senate floor for consideration by the full body.\n\n\u201cNationwide, more than two million women live in a county without a provider offering obstetric care. In Maine, about half of our hospitals do not have dedicated labor and delivery units. Rural Mainers have to drive more than 45 minutes to the nearest birthing hospital on average,\u201d said Senator Collins during the markup. \u201cThe bill that we're marking up today will ensure that rural hospitals will be better prepared to handle women experiencing an emergency with their pregnancy, even if that hospital does not have dedicated labor and delivery staff. The grants and training opportunities created by this bill are sorely needed. It seems like every month we learn of another rural hospital in Maine that is giving up its obstetrics unit because of a lack of providers. I ask all of our colleagues to support passage of this legislation.\u201d\n\nBetween 2011 and 2021, more than 260 rural hospitals in the U.S. shut down their obstetrics services, representing one in four of the nation\u2019s rural obstetric units. This trend has left more than 2 million women in a maternity care desert, meaning that they live in a county without a provider offering obstetric care such as labor and delivery. This can lead to longer driving times for care and increased health risks.\n\nSpecifically, the Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act would help rural hospitals and doctors prepare to handle the obstetric emergencies that come through their doors by:\n\nCreating training programs to help non-specialists respond to emergencies like labor and delivery; and\n\nDeveloping a pilot program for teleconsultation services, so that a doctor at a rural facility helping an expecting or postpartum mother facing an emergency can quickly consult with maternal health care experts.\n\nClick here to read the complete text of the legislation.\n\nImproving access to health care in rural areas has long been a focus of Senator Collins\u2019 efforts in the Senate. Last December, she announced that Maine will receive $190 million in first-year funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), a $50 billion initiative she proposed to support rural health care systems across the country. The RHTP represents the largest single federal investment in rural health care in more than two decades.\n\nEarlier this year, Senator Collins secured $70,872,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for Maine hospitals and health centers in the Fiscal Year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill. This funding included $1,599,000 to replace and modernize labor and delivery unit equipment at hospitals in Bangor, Dover-Foxcroft, Ellsworth, Portland, and Presque Isle.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-23T07:31:02Z", "2026-07-23T07:32:26Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-bipartisan-bill-to-strengthen-americas-nursing-workforce-advances-out-of-committee", "Senator Collins\u2019 Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen America\u2019s Nursing Workforce Advances Out of Committee", "2026-07-22", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, at a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee markup, the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act advanced by a bipartisan vote of 21 to 1. This bill, introduced by U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), would reauthorize, update, and improve critical programs under Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act, a law passed in 1944 to support public health and health care professionals. The bill now moves to the Senate floor for consideration by the full body.\n\n\u201cThe State of Maine continues to face a serious shortage of nurses, particularly in rural communities where hospitals struggle to recruit and retain staff. This shortage is driven by a severe shortage of nursing faculty,\u201d said Senator Collins during the markup. \u201cThis bipartisan legislation would help strengthen the nursing workforce by reauthorizing critical programs that support nursing education, expand access to clinical training, and help schools prepare more students for careers in nursing. These programs are essential to addressing the workforce shortage facing hospitals in rural areas in Maine and across our country.\u201d\n\nSpecifically, the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act would:\n\nReauthorize funding for the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs from Fiscal Year 2026 through Fiscal Year 2030;\n\nMake technical changes to the Advanced Nursing Education Program and make clear that grants for traineeships can cover the costs for clinical education and preceptors;\n\nAllow nurse education, practice, quality, and retention grants to be used to cover the cost of audiovisual or other equipment, simulation and augmented reality resources, telehealth technologies, and virtual and physical laboratories, as well as to be used to increase the number of faculty and students at schools of nursing in order to address nursing workforce shortages; and\n\nClarify that nurse education, practice, quality, and retention grants can be used to provide care for survivors of sexual assault and to partner with a health care facility that provides educational opportunities for the purpose of establishing or expanding clinical education.\n\nThe Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act is supported by more than 50 organizations, including the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).\n\nClick here to read the complete text of the legislation.\n\nSenator Collins has also worked to address health care workforce shortages and expand access to care in rural and underserved communities. She introduced the bipartisan Train More Nurses Act with Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) to identify ways to increase nursing school faculty and create additional pathways for Licensed Practical Nurses to become Registered Nurses. The MOBILE Health Care Act, which she introduced with Senator Rosen and was signed into law in 2022, allows community health centers to use federal funds to establish new mobile health care units to increase access to health care services in rural and underserved communities.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-23T07:31:02Z", "2026-07-23T07:32:26Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-bipartisan-insulin-act-advances-out-of-committee", "Senator Collins\u2019 Bipartisan INSULIN Act Advances Out of Committee", "2026-07-22", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, at a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee markup, the Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Act advanced by a bipartisan vote of 17 to 5. This landmark legislation, introduced by U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and John Kennedy (R-LA), would cap the cost of insulin at $35 per month for Americans with private and employer-sponsored insurance. It would also create a pilot program to make insulin available at the same cost to uninsured Americans, removing barriers to care and expanding access to this critical medication for millions of patients. The bill now moves to the Senate floor for consideration by the full body.\n\n\u201cBeginning in 2015, I chaired eight hearings on prescription drug prices when I chaired the Senate Aging Committee. We heard countless stories from Americans who were struggling to afford the medicine they needed, and the unaffordable cost of insulin was featured prominently at almost every single hearing,\u201d said Senator Collins during the markup. \u201cThe bill we're marking up today is the culmination of these efforts. While recent decisions by manufacturers to cut their list prices on insulin are encouraging, there is still more work to be done.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur bill would cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month for individuals who are on commercial insurance plans. According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 40 percent of people with diabetes have rationed or skipped insulin doses due to the cost,\u201d she continued. \u201cOne of my constituents, Bek Hoskins from Chelsea, Maine, skipped doses of insulin when she was unable to afford it, and ended up in the emergency room. The INSULIN Act would help people like Bek afford the insulin that they need to survive. The bill not only caps out-of-pocket costs for patients but addresses perverse incentives in the market and the lack of biosimilar competition that contribute to high list prices for insulin.\u201d\n\nSpecifically, the INSULIN Act:\n\nLimits out-of-pocket costs for patients with diabetes by ensuring that group and individual market health plans must waive any deductible and limit cost-sharing to no more than $35 or 25% of list price per month for at least one insulin of each type and dosage form;\n\nProhibits pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from placing utilization management tools, such as prior authorization, on capped insulin products;\n\nPromotes generic and biosimilar competition to lower costs to patients;\n\nCreates a pilot grant program for 10 states to implement programs to identify people with diabetes who are uninsured and provide them with insulin at $35 per month; and\n\nEstablishes an insulin resource center and hotline for people with diabetes who are uninsured to connect them with resources about diabetes and programs to help them secure insulin.\n\nThe INSULIN Act is supported by the American Diabetes Association, Breakthrough T1D, the Endocrine Society, the National Kidney Foundation, and AARP.\n\nClick here to read the complete text of the legislation.\n\nAs co-chairs of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, Senators Collins and Shaheen have long worked to strengthen investments in diabetes research, lower treatment costs, and improve access to care for patients. Earlier this year, they secured the reauthorization of the Special Diabetes Program at $200 million per year\u2014a $40 million increase and the highest funding level in the program\u2019s history. Since 1997, the Special Diabetes Program has delivered meaningful research breakthroughs and resources for individuals with Type 1 diabetes and for Native American and Alaska Native communities.\n\nSenators Collins and Shaheen have also introduced the Expanding Access to Diabetes Self-Management Training Act to expand Medicare coverage for diabetes self-management training (DSMT) sessions; the Promoting Access to Diabetic Shoes Act to improve care for patients with diabetes by allowing nurse practitioners and physician associates/physician assistants to prescribe therapeutic shoes; and the Strengthening Collective Resources for Encouraging Education Needed (SCREEN) for Type 1 Diabetes Act to improve early detection and screening by increasing public awareness of the signs and symptoms of Type 1 diabetes and supporting educational campaigns about the importance of early diagnosis.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-23T07:31:02Z", "2026-07-23T07:32:26Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-five-bipartisan-measures-to-lower-insulin-costs-strengthen-health-care-workforce-advance-out-of-committee", "Senator Collins\u2019 Five Bipartisan Measures to Lower Insulin Costs, Strengthen Health Care Workforce Advance Out of Committee", "2026-07-22", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced that three of her bills advanced as standalone measures, while two additional bills she authored advanced in their entirety as part of a broader health care workforce bill. All five measures received strong bipartisan support during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee markup. Together, the measures would cap the monthly cost of insulin and strengthen the health care workforce in Maine and across the country.\n\n\u201cFamilies across Maine are being squeezed by rising health care costs, while rural hospitals and other providers are struggling to recruit and retain the skilled professionals they need to serve their communities,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cWith maternity units closing, workforce shortages straining hospitals, and too many patients struggling to afford lifesaving insulin, these bipartisan measures address some of the most pressing challenges facing Maine people. I was pleased to see the strong support these measures received in committee today, and as they continue through the legislative process, I will keep working across the aisle to lower costs, strengthen Maine\u2019s health care workforce, and help better ensure that people in every part of our state can access quality, affordable care close to home.\u201d\n\nThe three bills introduced by Senator Collins that advanced at today\u2019s committee markup include:\n\nImproving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Act \u2013 Click HERE to watch and HERE to download Senator Collins\u2019 remarks on this bill.\n\nA bill introduced by Senators Collins, Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and John Kennedy (R-LA) to cap the cost of insulin at $35 per month for Americans with private and employer-sponsored insurance. The committee also approved an amendment to the bill that would create a pilot program to provide insulin at the same cost to uninsured Americans. The bipartisan INSULIN Act is supported by the American Diabetes Association, Breakthrough T1D, the Endocrine Society, the National Kidney Foundation, AARP, and several other groups. This bill advanced by a vote of 17 to 5.\n\nRural Obstetrics Readiness Act \u2013 Click HERE to watch and HERE to download Senator Collins\u2019 remarks on this bill.\n\nA bill introduced by Senators Collins, Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Katie Britt (R-AL), and Tina Smith (D-MN) that would help prepare rural hospitals and practitioners to handle obstetric emergencies as more labor and delivery units, particularly those in rural areas, are forced to close. The bill would provide funds to rural health care facilities to develop obstetric emergency training programs and establish a pilot program for urgent maternal telehealth services. This bill advanced by a vote of 21 to 1.\n\nTitle VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act \u2013 Click HERE to watch and HERE to download Senator Collins\u2019 remarks on this bill.\n\nA bill introduced by Senators Collins, Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) that would reauthorize, update, and improve critical programs under Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act. The bill would support nursing education, expand access to clinical training, and help schools prepare more students for careers in nursing, addressing nursing workforce needs in education, practice, recruitment, and retention. This bill advanced by a vote of 21 to 1.\n\nThe following bills were included as part of the Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness (EMPOWER) for Health Act, which advanced today by a vote of 21 to 1:\n\nClick HERE to watch and HERE to download Senator Collins\u2019 remarks on this bill.\n\nGeriatrics Workforce Improvement Act\n\nThis bill, introduced by Senators Collins and Tim Kaine (D-VA), would reauthorize funding for the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program and the Geriatrics Academic Career Awards through 2031. These programs train the current health care workforce and family caregivers while developing emerging leaders in geriatric education and clinical care.\n\nPublic Health and Bio-Preparedness Workforce Loan Repayment Reauthorization Act\n\nThis bill, introduced by Senators Collins and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), would reauthorize the Bio-Preparedness Workforce Loan Repayment Program through 2031. The program provides student loan repayment opportunities for health professionals with expertise in infectious diseases and emergency preparedness and response while helping address workforce recruitment and retention challenges and better preparing the American health care system for future public health emergencies.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-23T07:31:02Z", "2026-07-23T07:32:26Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-announces-20-million-award-for-maines-forest-bioproducts-tech-hub", "Senator Collins Announces $20 Million Award for Maine\u2019s Forest Bioproducts Tech Hub", "2026-07-20", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced today that the U.S. Department of Commerce\u2019s Economic Development Administration has awarded $20 million to Maine\u2019s Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub\u2014an economic development initiative led by the University of Maine. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick called Senator Collins to personally inform her of the approval of this funding award.\n\nThe Department of Commerce originally announced an award for the Maine Tech Hub in January of last year but later withdrew the funding and required the Tech Hub to recompete for its funding award. Following the withdrawal of funding, Senator Collins and her staff worked closely with the University of Maine and other project leaders to make adjustments and provide clarifications to the grant application to help ensure its approval by the Department.\n\n\u201cThis funding is welcome news for the University of Maine, Maine\u2019s forest products industry, and the many partners working to build a stronger economic future for our state,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cI was proud to champion this forward-looking project, which will help find new and innovative ways to leverage our state\u2019s bountiful natural resources, create good-paying jobs, strengthen domestic manufacturing, and help ensure that the forest products industry remains a cornerstone of Maine\u2019s economy for generations to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cSenator Collins has been a tireless champion of Maine\u2019s Tech Hub Program. We are pleased to announce our intention to fund this award, which will empower Maine\u2019s innovators to develop new and advanced forest-based bioproducts, commercialize cutting-edge technologies, and strengthen domestic supply chains,\u201d said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. \u201cPresident Trump remains committed to supporting the manufacturing industry and ensuring that jobs are created and remain in America.\u201d\n\nLed by the University of Maine in partnership with the Maine Technology Institute, the Maine Department of Labor, the Maine National Guard, industry leaders, and economic-development organizations, Maine\u2019s Tech Hub will support the development and commercialization of wood-derived alternative aviation fuel, advanced composites for construction, and safer packaging materials. The initiative will also expand workforce training and apprenticeship opportunities in advanced manufacturing.\n\nMaine\u2019s Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub was designated by the Department of Commerce in 2023 as one of 31 Tech Hubs nationwide. Tech Hubs bring together businesses, educational institutions, government agencies, and other regional partners to accelerate technological innovation, expand regional economies, and create jobs.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-21T07:32:02Z", "2026-07-21T07:33:33Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-walks-in-maine-potato-blossom-parade", "Senator Collins Walks in Maine Potato Blossom Parade", "2026-07-18", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nFORT FAIRFIELD, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins walked in the Maine Potato Blossom Parade in Fort Fairfield. The parade is the centerpiece of the 79th annual Maine Potato Blossom Festival, a nine-day celebration held as potato fields are in bloom to honor Aroostook County\u2019s proud agricultural heritage. Thousands of spectators lined the route to see members of local organizations, Maine Potato Blossom Queens, the Loring Job Corps Color Guard, and other community groups.\n\n\u201cFor nearly eight decades, the Maine Potato Blossom Festival has brought people together from across The County to celebrate our cherished farmers, families, and agricultural traditions that make this part of Maine so special,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cAs a native of Aroostook County, where my first job was picking potatoes for a local farmer, this festival has always felt like a celebration of home. It was a joy to walk in the Potato Blossom Parade, see so many familiar faces, and feel the community spirit that makes this event one of the highlights of a County summer.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-19T07:26:21Z", "2026-07-19T07:27:48Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-releases-letter-on-biddeford-shooting", "Senator Collins Releases Letter on Biddeford Shooting", "2026-07-16", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins today responded to a letter from Governor Janet Mills about the Biddeford shooting involving ICE personnel. In the letter, Senator Collins reiterated her call for a thorough, full, and impartial investigation of the shooting by the independent Office of the Inspector General (OIG) at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), aided by the Department of Justice, which she has encouraged to work with local law enforcement in Maine.\n\nSenator Collins also detailed the legislative reforms she ensured were enacted in this year\u2019s DHS appropriations process, including $20 million for body-worn cameras, a 17 percent increase in funding for the DHS OIG, and $2 million for de-escalation training.\n\nRead below or click here for the full letter text:\n\nDear Governor Mills:\n\nThank you for your July 15, 2026, letter in response to Monday\u2019s fatal shooting in Biddeford involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel. I share your heartbreak for the people of Maine regarding this tragic shooting and agree that we need answers as to what transpired. This is why I, along with the entire Maine delegation, called for a thorough, full, and impartial investigation by the independent Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) into the shooting. Senator King and I also wrote a letter to the Department of Justice requesting that it cooperate with state and local law enforcement to ensure that federal investigations into this shooting remain impartial and comprehensive.\n\nAs you may know, in January of this year the House and Senate Appropriations Committees reached a bipartisan agreement on a Fiscal Year 2026 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill. This bill included a number of accountability and transparency measures, such as additional funding for the DHS OIG, specific oversight of programs funded by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) that I voted against, new de-escalation training requirements for ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, and Department-wide training for personnel on rights for the public to record encounters with ICE and CBP. After the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan negotiated bill, Democratic Senate Appropriations Vice Chair Patty Murray praised these reforms. In a stunning pivot, congressional Democrats walked away from their own negotiated reforms triggering a shutdown of DHS \u2013 the longest shutdown in federal government history.\n\nOver the ensuing eight weeks, the White House engaged Senate Democrats to try to negotiate additional meaningful legislative reforms. The White House offered congressional Democrats the following measures:\n\nProhibiting DHS from using appropriated funds, including OBBBA funds, to block or stage detention facilities during congressional oversight visits;\n\nRequiring the use of body-worn cameras for all DHS law enforcement personnel performing civil immigration enforcement duties and providing an additional $100 million to procure cameras (for a total of $120 million);\n\nProhibiting DHS from knowingly detaining and deporting U.S. citizens during civil immigration enforcement activities;\n\nProhibiting civil immigration enforcement operations within sensitive locations, including schools and hospitals;\n\nRequiring visible numerical identification for officers conducting civil immigration enforcement activities or engaging within the public;\n\nRequiring ICE to notify local law enforcement before conducting large-scale civil immigration enforcement operations;\n\nRequiring de-escalation and use of force training of ICE officers and agents; and\n\nRequiring detention standards of DHS facilities to revert to the previous Administration\u2019s standards.\n\nYour letter highlights reforms similar to many of those that the White House proposed. Inexplicably, congressional Democrats rejected these reforms and instead chose to excise funding for ICE and U.S. Border Patrol from the annual appropriations process.\n\nDespite that decision, I worked hard to ensure that the final Fiscal Year 2026 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act retained many of the reforms that were negotiated in January. Included in the April law is $20 million for body-worn cameras, a seventeen percent increase in funding for the DHS OIG, and $2 million for de-escalation training. Unfortunately, the DHS shutdown delayed these reforms, and ICE is still waiting for the full deployment of the body-worn cameras and the completion of de-escalation training.\n\nNevertheless, the shootings this week, both in Maine and Texas, have raised serious questions and demand immediate action. This is why I have called for a halt in non-urgent traffic stops.\n\nWhile it is clear that ICE needs to improve its performance, it is important to remember that the work ICE does to protect our country goes far beyond immigration enforcement. ICE\u2019s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is tasked with combating cartels, human trafficking, drug smuggling, child exploitation, forced labor, and more. Eliminating ICE would make our country less safe and endanger the lives and welfare of countless individuals.\n\nSincerely,\n\nSusan M. Collins\n\nUnited States Senator\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-17T07:15:58Z", "2026-07-17T07:17:05Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/maine-delegation-calls-for-full-expedited-investigation-into-ice-fatal-shooting-in-maine", "Maine Delegation Calls for Full, Expedited Investigation into ICE Fatal Shooting in Maine", "2026-07-14", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden are calling for a comprehensive, transparent, and expedited investigation into the fatal shooting involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel in Biddeford. In a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, the delegation requested an independent review of the incident to ensure a full accounting of the facts and help maintain public confidence in the investigative process.\n\n\u201cWe write to formally request that your office conduct a comprehensive, transparent, and expedited investigation into the fatal shooting involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel that occurred [yesterday/earlier this week] in Biddeford, Maine,\u201d the lawmakers began. \u201cAlong with our constituents, we are deeply saddened by this loss of life. The facts surrounding this tragedy remain a matter of significant local concern and necessitate a thorough, objective accounting.\u201d\n\n\u201cGiven the gravity of the situation and the understandable anxiety within the Biddeford community, we urge you to prioritize this investigation,\u201d they continued. \u201cTimely and factual answers will be critical to providing closure for the grieving community and ensuring that federal law enforcement operations are conducted safely, lawfully, and in a manner that respects public safety.\u201d\n\nThe complete text of the letter can be found here and below.\n\n+++\n\nDear Inspector General Cuffari:\n\nWe write to formally request that your office conduct a comprehensive, transparent, and expedited investigation into the fatal shooting involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel that occurred yesterday in Biddeford, Maine.\n\nAlong with our constituents, we are deeply saddened by this loss of life. The facts surrounding this tragedy remain a matter of significant local concern and necessitate thorough, objective accounting.\n\nTo ensure public trust, transparency, and accountability, we request that your office include the following key areas in your examination:\n\nThe Sequence of Events: A detailed timeline of the encounter, including the specific actions taken by both the ICE agents and the individual involved prior to the discharge of a firearm.\n\nOperational Protocols: An evaluation of whether the tactics, use, and degree of force utilized adhered strictly to current DHS and ICE use-of-force policies.\n\nRecording and Documentation: Clarification on the availability of audio, dashcam, or body-worn camera footage of the incident, and the status of any evidence preservation.\n\nFurthermore, we ask that you detail the extent to which DHS will collaborate with state or local agencies in carrying out the investigation.\n\nGiven the gravity of the situation and the understandable anxiety within the Biddeford community, we urge you to prioritize this investigation. Timely and factual answers will be critical to providing closure for the grieving community and ensuring that federal law enforcement operations are conducted safely, lawfully, and in a manner that respects public safety.\n\nWe look forward to your response and stand ready to work with your office to facilitate any necessary inquiries.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-15T07:12:08Z", "2026-07-15T07:13:45Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-latest-statement-on-biddeford-shooting", "Senator Collins\u2019 Latest Statement on Biddeford Shooting", "2026-07-14", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins released the following statement regarding yesterday\u2019s shooting in Biddeford:\n\n\u201cI spoke with DHS Secretary Mullin last night and urged him to cease all non-urgent vehicle stops in the wake of yesterday\u2019s deadly Biddeford shooting. I am encouraged that the Department has agreed to do so.\n\n\u201cAn impartial investigation into the shooting in Biddeford needs to proceed, as the details surrounding this tragedy are important. It is extremely unfortunate that the agent involved did not have a body-worn camera. In April, measures that I authored in the Homeland Security funding bill became law, including $20 million for expanded use of body-worn cameras, $2 million for de-escalation training, and a 17% increase in the independent Office of Inspector General\u2019s budget to investigate matters such as this shooting. The Democratic government shutdown delayed enactment and implementation of these important safety measures.\n\n\u201cWhile it is clear ICE needs to improve its performance, it is important to remember that the work ICE does to protect our country goes far beyond immigration enforcement. ICE\u2019s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is tasked with combating cartels, human smuggling, child exploitation, forced labor, and more. Eliminating ICE would make our country less safe and endanger the lives and welfare of countless individuals.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-15T07:12:08Z", "2026-07-15T07:13:45Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-statement-on-biddeford-shooting", "Senator Collins\u2019 Statement on Biddeford Shooting", "2026-07-14", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins released the following statement after speaking with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin regarding yesterday\u2019s shooting in Biddeford:\n\n\u201cWhile the investigation of the Biddeford shooting is not yet complete, it raises sufficient critical questions that I spoke with DHS Secretary Mullin last night and urged him to cease all non-urgent vehicle stops.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-15T07:12:08Z", "2026-07-15T07:13:45Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senators-collins-king-urge-doj-to-cooperate-with-maine-law-enforcement-in-biddeford-shooting-investigation", "Senators Collins, King Urge DOJ to Cooperate with Maine Law Enforcement in Biddeford Shooting Investigation", "2026-07-14", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today requested that the Department of Justice (DOJ) collaborate with Maine state and local law enforcement as authorities investigate yesterday\u2019s fatal shooting in Biddeford involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel. In a letter to Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche, the Senators emphasized that coordination among law enforcement agencies is essential to ensuring a thorough and impartial investigation.\n\n\u201cWe write to request that the Department of Justice, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), cooperate with state and local law enforcement in the investigation of yesterday\u2019s fatal shooting in Biddeford, Maine, involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel,\u201d the Senators wrote.\n\n\u201cWe understand that the FBI has opened an investigation into the shooting and is working with the Department of Homeland Security\u2019s (DHS) Office of Inspector General as it investigates what happened. We appreciate these steps. The facts surrounding the shooting remain a matter of significant local and national concern, and it is important that these investigations provide clear answers as to what transpired yesterday,\u201d they continued. \u201cFederal law enforcement agencies must fully cooperate with state and local law enforcement throughout the investigations to give the public confidence that the inquiries have been conducted in a thorough, fair, and impartial manner.\u201d\n\nClick here to read the complete text of their letter.\n\nEarlier today, the Maine Delegation also sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security\u2019s (DHS) Inspector General calling for a full, transparent investigation into the shooting to help ensure public trust in the investigative process.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-15T07:12:08Z", "2026-07-15T07:13:45Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-speaks-at-randolph-volunteer-fire-station-ribbon-cutting", "Senator Collins Speaks at Randolph Volunteer Fire Station Ribbon Cutting", "2026-07-11", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nRANDOLPH, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins joined town officials, firefighters, and residents in Randolph today to cut the ribbon and tour the town\u2019s new fire station. In addition to serving the local community, the Randolph Volunteer Fire Department provides mutual aid to Pittston, Farmingdale, Chelsea, Gardiner, West Gardiner, Hallowell, and Togus VA Medical Center.\n\nIn 2024, Senator Collins secured $2.6 million through her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee to support the construction of the new Randolph Volunteer Fire Station.\n\n\u201cThe people of Randolph worked together for more than a decade to make this new fire station a reality, and I was proud to support their efforts by helping secure $2.6 million in federal funding,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThis beautiful new facility reflects the town\u2019s careful planning, dedication, and commitment to its first responders, and I look forward to continuing our partnership to strengthen public safety in Randolph and throughout the State of Maine.\u201d\n\nBuilt approximately 80 years ago, Randolph\u2019s former fire station had serious structural problems and was too small to adequately accommodate modern fire trucks. The new station has three bays designed to accommodate modern fire trucks and includes a community meeting room, a dedicated training area, and shower and restroom facilities for firefighters. The station will also serve as the town\u2019s emergency shelter.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-12T07:28:31Z", "2026-07-12T07:30:18Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-walks-in-moxie-day-parade", "Senator Collins Walks in Moxie Day Parade", "2026-07-11", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nLISBON, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins walked in the Moxie Day Parade in Lisbon alongside dozens of local residents and elected leaders, organizations, and bands.\n\n\u201cFor more than four decades, the Moxie Festival has drawn people from near and far to Lisbon for a celebration that is truly one of a kind and uniquely Maine,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cIt was a pleasure to walk in the Moxie Day Parade and see the creativity, enthusiasm, and unmistakable Moxie that make this event such a memorable highlight of the summer.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-12T07:28:31Z", "2026-07-12T07:30:18Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-announces-the-reopening-of-irs-taxpayer-assistance-centers-in-augusta-and-bangor", "Senator Collins Announces the Reopening of IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers in Augusta and Bangor", "2026-07-06", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "BANGOR, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) CEO Frank Bisignano announced that Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TACs) in Augusta and Bangor have reopened as of Monday, July 6, 2026, with current IRS staff assigned to each location. This announcement follows Senator Collins' questioning of Secretary Bessent about TAC closures in Maine at a recent Senate Appropriations Committee hearing. The IRS is also seeking permanent staff for each TAC to provide assistance to Mainers.\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s announcement is welcome news for Mainers who rely on in-person assistance to navigate our tax system. Reopening the Taxpayer Assistance Centers in Augusta and Bangor will make an enormous difference for our seniors, rural residents, and other Mainers who should not have to travel hundreds of miles simply to get help from the IRS,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cI appreciate Secretary Bessent\u2019s responsiveness to my concerns and will continue working to better ensure that Mainers have access to the federal services they need and deserve.\u201d\n\n\u201cTreasury and the IRS remain committed to delivering efficient, accessible services to taxpayers across the country. Reopening the Taxpayer Assistance Centers in Augusta and Bangor is an important step toward improving access for Maine taxpayers to support closer to home,\u201d said Treasury Secretary Bessent. \u201cI appreciate Senator Collins\u2019 leadership in bringing this issue to my attention and her partnership as we expand in-person services in the great State of Maine.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Internal Revenue Service is committed to serving taxpayers in communities in Maine and across the country,\u201d said IRS CEO Bisignano. \u201cTaxpayer Assistance Centers like the offices re-opening in Bangor and Augusta provide essential, face-to-face support to Americans seeking guidance and assistance with tax-related issues. Whether in-person, online or on the phone, the IRS is dedicated to meeting taxpayers where they need help.\u201d\n\nBackground\n\nTACs are physical offices that offer assistance to individuals who lack stable internet access, need help navigating technology, or otherwise need in-person assistance with their taxes. The State of Maine has the oldest population by median age in the country and a large rural population, and ensuring convenient access to these services remains especially important.\n\nReopening the Augusta and Bangor TACs expands access to these essential services, allowing more Mainers to receive IRS services closer to home and providing more options for taxpayers across the state to get the help they need.\n\nIn addition to questioning Secretary Bessent on this issue at the Treasury Department\u2019s budget review hearing in April, Senator Collins, with members of the Maine delegation, sent a letter to Secretary Bessent in March requesting that the IRS reopen the TACs in Augusta and Bangor.\n\nIRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers in Maine\n\nAugusta\n\n68 Sewall St.\n\nSummer Hours: July 6 \u2013 September 30, 2026\n\nMonday: 1:00 p.m. \u2013 4:30 p.m.\n\nTuesday \u2013 Thursday: 8:30 a.m. \u2013 4:30 p.m.\n\nFriday: CLOSED\n\nRegular business hours commence in the early fall.\n\nBangor\n\n202 Harlow St., Suite 20300\n\nSummer Hours: July 6 \u2013 September 30, 2026:\n\nMonday: 12:00 p.m. \u2013 4:30 p.m.\n\nTuesday \u2013 Thursday: 8:30 a.m. \u2013 4:30 p.m.\n\nFriday: 8:30 a.m. \u2013 12 p.m.\n\nRegular business hours commence in the early fall.\n\nSouth Portland\n\n440 Western Ave.\n\nRegular Hours:\n\nMonday \u2013 Friday: 8:30 a.m. \u2013 4:30 p.m.\n\nPresque Isle (Virtual Service Delivery location)\n\n39 Second St. \u2013 Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library\n\nRegular virtual assistance available by appointment only on Tuesday and Thursday by calling 844-545-5640.\n\nIRS Virtual Service Delivery allows taxpayers to meet virtually with an IRS assistor using secure video technology to receive many of the same services available at a TAC.\n\n+++\n\nTaxpayers are reminded to make an appointment before visiting all TACs. To schedule an appointment at a local office, call 844-545-5640 from 7:00 a.m. \u2013 7:00 p.m.\n\nTaxpayers should bring two original forms of ID, including a current government-issued photo ID. Other acceptable forms of ID can be found on the contact your local office page. The IRS contact your local office page has more information on IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers, including addresses, phone numbers and hours.\n\nClick here to read more about this announcement from the IRS.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-07T08:20:12Z", "2026-07-07T08:22:09Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-walks-in-eastport-independence-day-parade", "Senator Collins Walks in Eastport Independence Day Parade", "2026-07-04", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nEASTPORT, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins walked in the Eastport Independence Day Parade, celebrating 250 years of American independence.\n\n\u201cIt was wonderful to celebrate Independence Day in Eastport today with so many Mainers, the sailors of the USS Lassen, and proud Americans from near and far,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cEastport\u2019s Fourth of July celebration is one of Maine\u2019s great traditions and today was a powerful reminder of the patriotism and community spirit that make our state and nation the greatest place to live.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-05T07:55:27Z", "2026-07-05T07:56:42Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-walks-in-machias-independence-day-parade", "Senator Collins Walks in Machias Independence Day Parade", "2026-07-04", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nMACHIAS, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins walked in the Machias Independence Day Parade today, celebrating 250 years of American independence.\n\n\u201cMachias has a proud place in America\u2019s Revolutionary story, and it was an honor to join neighbors from across Washington County for this evening\u2019s parade,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cFrom the marchers to the spectators lining the route to a great band, this Independence Day celebration showed the pride Downeast Maine takes in our country and in the traditions that bring us together.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-06T08:59:18Z", "2026-07-06T09:01:25Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-walks-in-jay-livermore-and-livermore-falls-tri-town-independence-day-parade", "Senator Collins Walks in Jay, Livermore, and Livermore Falls Tri-Town Independence Day Parade", "2026-07-03", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nJAY, ME \u2013 Tonight, U.S. Senator Susan Collins walked in the Tri-Town Independence Day Parade, celebrating the 250th anniversary of American independence with the communities of Jay, Livermore, and Livermore Falls.\n\n\u201cIt was great to kick off a weekend of celebrating America\u2019s 250th birthday at the Tri-Town Parade with residents of Jay, Livermore, and Livermore Falls,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThank you to the first responders, organizers, and, of course, the many families who came out and made tonight so special!\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-04T07:41:55Z", "2026-07-04T07:42:45Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-announces-nearly-20-million-for-eastport-breakwater-and-fish-pier-upgrades", "Senator Collins Announces Nearly $20 Million for Eastport Breakwater and Fish Pier Upgrades", "2026-07-02", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced today that the Eastport Port Authority will receive $19.7 million through the federal Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program to support the modernization of the city\u2019s breakwater and fish pier.\n\nSpecifically, the funding will be used to rehabilitate and upgrade Eastport\u2019s 45-year-old fish pier, which has deteriorated to a critical condition and is at risk of structural failure, and to complete a 97-foot extension of Eastport\u2019s breakwater, improving wave attenuation, protecting the inner harbor, and helping ensure safe and reliable operations for all users.\n\n\u201cThis significant investment will strengthen Eastport\u2019s working waterfront, further protect the harbor from storm damage, and support the individuals and businesses who depend on this critical infrastructure,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cI strongly advocated for this project because these upgrades to the fish pier and breakwater will make Eastport\u2019s harbor safer, more resilient, and better able to support the local economy for years to come.\u201d\n\nIn March, Senator Collins sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy in support of the Eastport Port Authority\u2019s BUILD grant application. In her letter, she stressed that the fish pier and breakwater upgrades are needed to meet the safety and economic needs of eastern Maine.\n\nAs Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins included $145 million for BUILD grants in the Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill. The BUILD program provides federal assistance for important road, rail, transit, and port projects across the country.\n\nSince 2009, when Senator Collins became a member of the Appropriations Committee, she has helped secure more than $1 billion in competitive transportation grants for the State of Maine.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-03T08:00:00Z", "2026-07-03T08:01:30Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-cuts-the-ribbon-at-clinton-fire-station", "Senator Collins Cuts the Ribbon at Clinton Fire Station", "2026-07-01", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nCLINTON, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins took part in a ribbon cutting ceremony, delivered remarks, and toured the new fire station in Clinton yesterday. She was joined at the event by Clinton Town Manager Daniel Swain, Fire Chief Rick Barton, members of the Clinton Fire Department, and dozens of local residents. During the ceremony, the community also honored Clinton Police Chief Stanley \u201cRusty\u201d Bell on his retirement after 47 years in law enforcement.\n\nIn 2022, Senator Collins secured $2 million through her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee to support the construction of the new Clinton Fire Station. Last year, Senator Collins toured the previous station and reviewed plans for the new facility. Built in the 1950s, the old station was too small to accommodate the modern equipment the department planned to purchase.\n\n\u201cReplacing or renovating outdated public safety facilities is a key priority here in the state of Maine. I toured the 75-year-old station a year ago with Assistant Chief Travis Leary and saw the challenges the crowded facility with the double-parked vehicles presented to firefighters and EMTs in swiftly responding to emergencies,\u201d said Senator Collins during her remarks. \u201cI am so pleased that the new station we celebrate today addresses those longstanding deficiencies and will better serve this rural community. Congratulations on this achievement, and I look forward to our continued work together.\u201d\n\nThe new facility is twice the size of the old station and includes ample space for training, equipment, and vehicle storage. Additionally, the Clinton Police Department has found a new home in the previous and now vacant Clinton Fire Station.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-02T06:20:02Z", "2026-07-02T06:21:32Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-speaks-at-camp-ellis-construction-kickoff", "Senator Collins Speaks at Camp Ellis Construction Kickoff", "2026-06-30", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nSACO, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins delivered remarks at an event marking the official start of construction on the Camp Ellis Shore Damage Mitigation Project, a long-awaited effort to reduce shoreline erosion and storm damage in Saco. Other speakers included Saco Mayor Jodi MacPhail, Senator Angus King, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle, and Colonel Justin Pabis\u2014Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District.\n\nAs Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins secured $23 million last year to support the construction of a 750-foot spur jetty and sand replenishment at Camp Ellis. She also secured $750,000 in 2024 to help fund the design of the project, after championing a provision in the 2022 Water Resources Development Act that authorized $45 million for a permanent solution to the severe, ongoing erosion at Camp Ellis.\n\n\u201cWhat a great day for Camp Ellis and the City of Saco. They say that good things come to those who wait. Well, that may be true, but I would say that the vital project we launch today proves that good things come to those who join together in a common cause and who persevere,\u201d said Senator Collins during her remarks. \u201cThroughout this long ordeal, the people of Camp Ellis and nearby communities banded as informed and determined advocates. By decreasing the wave energy reaching Camp Ellis Beach and reducing the loss of sediment from the shoreline, this project will help protect property and restore the beachfront. To call this a long-awaited moment misses the mark. This is a long-championed victory, won by a resolute community that refused to give up.\u201d\n\nThe Camp Ellis jetty was built by the federal government more than 150 years ago at a time when the erosional impacts of shoreline structures were largely unknown. Although the jetty served navigational needs, it caused devastating erosion and property damage. Over the last century, 38 homes have washed into the sea, the shoreline has receded by approximately 400 feet, and roads have been lost. The project now underway is designed to reduce wave energy generated by the existing north jetty and lessen shoreline erosion.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-01T06:34:07Z", "2026-07-01T06:35:35Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-speaks-at-boardwalk-groundbreaking-in-skowhegan", "Senator Collins Speaks at Boardwalk Groundbreaking in Skowhegan", "2026-06-29", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nSKOWHEGAN, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins delivered remarks at a groundbreaking ceremony for the New Balance Foundation Boardwalk in Skowhegan. Dozens were in attendance for the event, including members of Main Street Skowhegan and the New Balance Foundation, Senator Angus King, state and local leaders, and members of the Skowhegan community.\n\nThe future boardwalk will run along the bank of the Kennebec River in downtown Skowhegan and connect to the existing footbridge, creating a riverfront promenade, public seating, and a paved ADA-compliant walkway. The second phase of this project, which is set to begin construction next year, will add more than 7,200 square feet of riverfront infrastructure and continue the boardwalk past the footbridge.\n\n\u201cIt is fitting that the theme of Skowhegan\u2019s revitalization effort is, \u2018Go Big or Go Home.\u2019 This celebration is, above all, the result of a big community spirit,\u201d said Senator Collins during her remarks. \u201cIt is about a partnership forged by businesses, organizations, and citizens, led by Main Street Skowhegan, joining together to help make this riverfront an economic, cultural, and recreational asset. I am proud to be among your partners, and I am confident that this investment will produce a handsome return in quality of life.\u201d\n\nIn 2022, Senator Collins secured $2 million to support this project through her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee. In addition to this project, over the past five years, Senator Collins has secured more than $7 million for community development projects in Skowhegan. This includes $3 million for the town to construct a multi-use community center complex; nearly $2 million to construct an early childhood center at the Margaret Chase Smith Community School; and $475,000 to construct a facility to support maintenance of Maine\u2019s 267-mile portion of the Appalachian Trail.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-30T06:29:10Z", "2026-06-30T06:30:42Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-visits-sappi-somerset-mill", "Senator Collins Visits Sappi Somerset Mill", "2026-06-29", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos\n\nSKOWHEGAN, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins visited Sappi\u2019s Somerset Mill today to tour the facility and speak with employees and company leaders. At the conclusion of the tour, Senator Collins presented Plant Manager Marty Richard and Sappi North America CEO Mike Haws with a copy of the Congressional Record recognizing the 50th anniversary of operation for the Somerset Mill.\n\n\u201cSappi\u2019s Somerset Mill is one of Maine\u2019s largest employers and has been a cornerstone of Somerset County for five decades,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cFrom its skilled workforce and state-of-the-art operations to its $1 billion investment since 2018 to improve and expand plant operations here in Maine, the Somerset Mill continues to make important contributions to our state\u2019s economy and the greater Skowhegan community. I was pleased to recognize this milestone in the Congressional Record and to thank the employees whose hard work has made this success possible.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-30T06:29:10Z", "2026-06-30T06:30:42Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-speaks-at-maine-mill-grand-opening-ceremony", "Senator Collins Speaks at Maine MILL Grand Opening Ceremony", "2026-06-27", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nLEWISTON, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins joined community members and state and local leaders to celebrate the grand opening of the new Maine Museum of Innovation, Learning, and Labor (MILL) in Lewiston. Senator Collins was joined at the event by Governor Janet Mills, Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline, Auburn Mayor Jeffrey Harmon, Maine MILL Executive Director Rachel Ferrante, and Maine MILL Board Chair Michael Rancourt.\n\nThe Maine MILL\u2019s new home at the former Camden Yarns Mill has transformed a long-vacant former industrial building on the Angroscoggin Riverfront into a 22,000-square-foot modern museum with an impressive collection of more than 10,000 artifacts, including a Jacquard loom, original Bates Manufacturing bedspreads, and approximately 300 recorded oral histories from those who lived and worked in the region.\n\n\u201cThe Maine MILL is a museum that tells the story of the men and women who built not just industries, but also communities. Their story \u2013 of hard work and dedication, of hardship and triumph \u2013 is the story of Lewiston and Auburn. It is the story of our great State of Maine, and of our nation. It is a story that honors our past and inspires us to meet the challenges of the future,\u201d said Senator Collins during her remarks. \u201cI worked hard to secure funding to advance this project because in addition to preserving the region\u2019s rich history, redeveloping the Camden Yarns Mill into the Maine MILL strengthens ongoing efforts to promote job growth, improve infrastructure, and boost local economies along the Androscoggin River.\u201d\n\nIn 2010, Senator Collins helped secure $600,000 through her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee to begin this restoration of the Camden Yarns Mill. This winter, as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins secured $3 million to help complete the restoration as part of $12 million she secured this fiscal year to revitalize former mill sites in East Millinocket, Lincoln, and Lewiston.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-27T20:01:11Z", "2026-06-28T06:33:41Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-calls-for-leaders-to-stand-against-rising-antisemitism-in-remarks-to-union-of-orthodox-jewish-congregations", "Senator Collins Calls for Leaders to Stand Against Rising Antisemitism in Remarks to Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations", "2026-06-24", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE to watch and HERE to download b-roll from the event.\n\nClick HERE for a full-resolution image.\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins delivered remarks to the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America at their national leadership luncheon. During her speech, Senator Collins called for leaders to stand against the rise of antisemitism that is negatively impacting the lives of Jewish Americans and emphasized her support for the people of Israel.\n\n\u201cMy father fought against the Nazis in World War Two. He was wounded twice in the Battle of the Bulge when he had just turned 19, earning two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star. He rarely spoke about the war, but he taught me that evil cannot be ignored. And those lessons have shaped my belief that America has a responsibility to stand against hate whenever it appears,\u201d said Senator Collins during her remarks. \u201cI also learned that lesson from my mother. When she was attending the University of Maine\u2014she came from New York State\u2014she was a member of a sorority. That sorority was rejecting a student as a pledge solely because she was Jewish, and I am so proud of my mother that she quit the sorority.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur values are under attack, not just by those on the fringes of society, but also our values are not being defended by the leaders of some of our nation's most influential institutions,\u201d she continued. \u201cNow we are making progress in that regard, but it is still horrifying. It also breaks my heart that antisemitism is also on the rise in the state of Maine.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe friendship that I share with the people of Israel is that which our two nations share. It's a friendship that is anchored by common principles, a love of liberty, and the courage to defend it. I am proud of our relationship with the one true democracy in the Middle East, our closest ally, Israel.\u201d Senator Collins concluded.\n\nSenator Collins also highlighted her work as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee to suspend funding from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which employed Hamas terrorists who participated in the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-25T06:30:03Z", "2026-06-25T06:31:21Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/with-senator-collins-support-senate-passes-bill-to-make-housing-more-affordable", "With Senator Collins\u2019 Support, Senate Passes Bill to Make Housing More Affordable", "2026-06-22", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins supported Senate passage of the 21st Century Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act, which passed the Senate by a bipartisan vote of 85 to 5. The bill now heads to the House, where it is expected to receive strong support before moving to the President\u2019s desk to be signed into law.\n\nThis bipartisan, bicameral legislation, which was introduced by Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in the Senate and by Representatives French Hill (R-AR-02) and Maxine Waters (D-CA-43) in the House, is the most significant federal housing package advanced by Congress in three decades and will help address the national housing shortage driving up costs for renters and homebuyers alike.\n\nLast year, the median price of a home in Maine reached $407,000, the highest level on record. Additionally, nearly half of all renters in Maine spent 30 percent or more of their income on housing in 2024. With home prices and housing cost burdens reaching record levels, many Mainers, especially younger Mainers, see the dream of owning their own home as further away than ever before.\n\n\u201cTo lower housing costs, we must address the root cause of the crisis: the severe shortage of homes available to rent or buy,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThe 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act will help communities expand housing supply in Maine and across the country by cutting unnecessary red tape, restricting large institutional investors from cornering regional markets for single-family homes, while preserving local decision-making. This bipartisan legislation will give Maine communities more tools to create affordable housing options for families, seniors, and workers without imposing burdensome federal mandates.\u201d\n\nKey provisions of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act include:\n\nDirecting the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop best practices for zoning and land-use policies without imposing federal mandates on state or local governments;\n\nStreamlining regulatory reviews for certain small and infill housing projects, helping communities build more homes faster;\n\nModernizing federal manufactured and modular housing policies, making it easier to use these low-cost housing models in Maine and across the country;\n\nStrengthening the role of credit unions and local banks that help families, home builders, and small businesses access capital for housing;\n\nCreating the Revitalizing Empty Structures Into Desirable Environments (RESIDE) pilot program at HUD to help turn abandoned or underused properties into affordable housing;\n\nLimiting the ability of large institutional investors to outbid families and purchase single-family homes in bulk; and\n\nProhibiting the Federal Reserve from establishing Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) through 2030.\n\nClick here to read the complete text of the legislation.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-23T06:27:52Z", "2026-06-23T06:29:20Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senators-collins-bennet-lead-colleagues-in-urging-cms-to-adjust-rural-health-transformation-program-implementation", "Senators Collins, Bennet Lead Colleagues in Urging CMS to Adjust Rural Health Transformation Program Implementation", "2026-06-18", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Michael Bennet (D-CO) led a letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz urging the agency to make adjustments to support the successful implementation of the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) also signed the letter.\n\nIn their letter, the Senators emphasized that the RHTP provides a unique opportunity to address long-standing challenges to better position rural hospitals to serve their communities for years to come.\n\nRural health care systems across the country continue to face significant strain. Since 2010, more than 200 rural hospitals nationwide have closed or reduced inpatient services, and more than 45 percent of remaining rural hospitals are operating in the red. With $50 billion in RHTP funding now being distributed and all 50 states receiving initial allocations, the Senators warned that current implementation guidance may unintentionally disadvantage many rural hospitals and clinics\u2014the very frontline providers most in need of support.\n\n\u201cIn rural communities across the country, hospitals and clinics serve as the backbone of local health care systems delivering emergency care, supporting maternal health, treating chronic illness, and standing ready to respond when lives are on the line,\u201d the Senators wrote. \u201cAt a time when many rural hospitals continue to face workforce shortages, rising operational costs, declining reimbursement, and persistent financial instability, it is essential that implementation of the RHTP reflects the realities facing rural providers on the ground.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe believe that implementation can be improved further by lifting the cap on infrastructure and capital improvements for rural facilities, as many need significant improvement and equipment upgrades,\u201d they continued. \u201cWe also believe that clarifying the permissibility of direct payments to providers is crucial.\u201d\n\n\u201cRural Americans deserve reliable access to high-quality care close to home. Our recommendations aim to strengthen the hospitals and providers that communities rely upon in moments of crisis and every day in between. Low reimbursement rates from public payers paired with low volumes are a major contributor to rural hospital financial instability. RHTP provides a unique opportunity to address these long-standing challenges and set rural hospitals up for success on their road to transformation,\u201d the Senators concluded.\n\nClick here for the complete text of the letter.\n\n+++\n\nThe RHTP represents the largest single federal investment in rural health care in more than two decades. Senator Collins proposed the funding during negotiations over amendments to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. She successfully pushed to expand the program to $50 billion and ensure that a broader range of rural providers would be eligible for support, despite voting against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.\n\nLast December, she announced that Maine will receive $190 million in first-year funding through the RHTP, and, earlier this year, Senator Collins intervened to preserve Maine\u2019s first-year funding award. Alerted by CMS that Maine\u2019s funding was in jeopardy, Senator Collins stressed to CMS Administrator Oz how critical the funding is to Maine\u2019s rural hospitals and other health care providers serving rural Mainers. She asked that CMS work with the state to bring it into compliance, which occurred.\n\nThe letter is endorsed by the National Association of Rural Health Clinics, the National Rural Health Association, and the Federation of American Hospitals.\n\n\u201cThe National Rural Health Association supports Senators Bennet and Collins\u2019 bipartisan letter to CMS addressing methods to strengthen the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). In order to protect the integrity of this historic investment, it is critical that CMS ensure funds reach the rural health facilities they were intended for. Providing greater flexibility for provider payments, workforce investments, and health information technology, while ensuring smaller and independent rural providers can meaningfully access funding opportunities, will help RHTP fulfill its purpose of strengthening rural health care systems and improving access to care in rural communities,\u201d said Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association.\n\n\u201cFor this unique investment to be truly transformational, it is imperative that these dollars flow to rural providers, including the 5,800+ CMS-certified Rural Health Clinics across the country. We greatly appreciate the leadership of Senators Bennet and Collins to ensure necessary flexibilities in implementation to ensure these funds go where they are needed most,\u201d said Sarah Hohman, Director of Government Affairs for the National Association of Rural Health Clinics.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-19T06:50:32Z", "2026-06-19T06:53:40Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senators-collins-shaheen-urge-fda-to-expand-access-to-islet-cell-transplantation-for-individuals-with-type-1-diabetes", "Senators Collins, Shaheen Urge FDA to Expand Access to Islet Cell Transplantation for Individuals with Type 1 Diabetes", "2026-06-18", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), co-chairs of the Senate Diabetes Caucus and lead sponsors of the bipartisan INSULIN Act, are urging Acting Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Kyle Diamantas to improve access to donor islet cell transplantation for certain individuals living with Type 1 Diabetes.\n\nFor many patients, donor islet cell transplantation can be life changing. Yet, despite rigorous scientific research showing the efficacy of the procedure and FDA approval of a donor islet product in 2023, patient access remains extremely limited, suggesting the current regulation is stifling availability for those who could most benefit.\n\n\u201cWith the goal of better addressing the health needs of people with diabetes, we write to request that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) take administrative action to improve access to deceased donor islet cell transplantation for certain individuals living with Type 1 diabetes (T1D),\u201d Senators Collins and Shaheen wrote. \u201cRecent scientific and clinical efforts have brought the medical field closer to potentially curative therapies for certain eligible patients. Some existing regulatory classifications, however, continue to limit patient access to islet cell transplantation, which holds promise as a treatment option that is both safe and effective for some individuals.\u201d\n\n\u201cPatient access to deceased donor islet cell transplantation has remained extremely limited, despite FDA approval of a deceased donor islet cell product in 2023,\u201d they continued. \u201cThe lack of access suggests the current regulatory pathway is not functioning in a way that supports broad, practical availability of this therapy for the patients most likely to benefit.\u201d\n\n\u201cApproximately 1.6 million Americans are living with T1D, and many could benefit from increased access to deceased donor islet cell transplantation. We appreciate your attention to this issue and your leadership in advancing policies that improve outcomes for people living with chronic diseases. We would welcome your partnership on developing a pathway as swiftly as possible that provides effective oversight, expands access for eligible patients, and supports continued innovation in the search for cures and better treatments for T1D,\u201d Senators Collins and Shaheen concluded.\n\nClick here to read the complete text of the letter.\n\n+++\n\nAs co-chairs of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, Senators Collins and Shaheen have led efforts in the Senate to advance legislation that will lower the cost of insulin, invest in treatment and early detection, and prioritize diabetes research. They recently led the introduction of the bipartisan INSULIN Act to cap the monthly out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $35 per month for Americans with private insurance and create a pilot program for uninsured patients. The bipartisan proposal enjoys wide and growing support in Congress, with 26 senators now backing the bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-19T06:50:32Z", "2026-06-19T06:53:40Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/at-help-committee-markup-vermont-senator-bernie-sanders-announces-support-for-senator-collins-bipartisan-insulin-act", "At HELP Committee Markup, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders Announces Support for Senator Collins\u2019 Bipartisan INSULIN Act", "2026-06-17", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, during a Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) markup, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) signaled his strong support for Senator Susan Collins\u2019 Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Act by introducing it as an amendment to her bill to lower the price of prescription drugs.\n\nThe Committee voted 15-8 to approve Senator Sanders\u2019 amendment, with every Democratic member of the Committee voting in favor\u2014signaling the broad, bipartisan support Senator Collins\u2019 INSULIN Act enjoys in the Senate.\n\nSenator Sanders\u2019 amendment comes as the INSULIN Act continues to gain support in the Senate. In addition to the bill\u2019s authors\u2014Senators Collins, Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and John Kennedy (R-LA)\u2014the bill has been cosponsored by a bipartisan group of 22 senators. Now, with the endorsement of Senator Sanders, the leading Democrat on the Senate HELP Committee, this landmark legislation has gained additional momentum as Senator Collins continues to work to lower costs and improve access to lifesaving insulin for patients in Maine and across the country.\n\nAt the markup, Senator Collins noted Senator Sanders\u2019 endorsement of her INSULIN Act after he offered it as an amendment to her Ensuring Timely Access to Generics Act:\n\nClick HERE to watch and HERE to download\n\n\u201c[The Ensuring Timely Access to Generics Act], our bipartisan bill, would strengthen the FDA's ability to reject citizen petitions if it believes that the primary purpose of the petition is to delay approval of the lower price generic competitor. If enacted, this bipartisan bill would improve competition, save patients money, and, according to the latest assessment from the CBO, save taxpayers $49 million.\n\n\u201cI find it extremely interesting that Ranking Member Sanders has proposed nine amendments to this common-sense bill. He has not proposed amendments to any other bill. I think it's pretty easy to figure out what the motivation is here. I am pleased that the Ranking Member finally supports the insulin bill and has proposed it as an amendment to this bill. I've worked, alongside Senator Shaheen, my co-chair of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, on legislation to lower the cost of insulin since 2019. And before that, I held a hearing in the Aging Committee on the cost. That's what led us to the INSULIN Act, which has many components, including the Ensuring Timely Access to Generics Act. This bill is the one before us now, and passed out of the HELP Committee in 2023.\u201d\n\n+++\n\nThe INSULIN Act would cap the cost of insulin at $35 per month for Americans with private and employer-sponsored insurance. It would also create a pilot program to make insulin available at the same cost to uninsured Americans, expanding access for millions of patients.\n\nAs co-chairs of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, Senators Collins and Shaheen have been at the forefront of bipartisan efforts to lower insulin costs since 2019, when they introduced the Insulin Price Reduction Act.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-18T06:41:00Z", "2026-06-18T06:43:25Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senators-collins-king-announce-more-than-16-million-for-economic-development-projects-across-maine", "Senators Collins, King Announce More Than $16 Million for Economic Development Projects Across Maine", "2026-06-16", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that 19 Maine organizations will receive a total of $16,201,188 to support important development projects. The funding comes from the Northern Border Regional Commission\u2019s (NBRC) Fiscal Year 2026 Catalyst, Timber for Transit, and Forest Economy programs.\n\n\u201cThe NBRC has been an important partner in helping Maine\u2019s rural communities make investments in projects that strengthen local economies and improve quality of life,\u201d said Senators Collins and King. \u201cThis funding will support critical infrastructure upgrades, workforce development, housing, childcare, transportation access, and forest economy projects across our state. These investments will help communities address local needs, create jobs, and expand economic opportunity for Mainers.\u201d\n\nSpecifically, the funding from the Catalyst Program is allocated as follows:\n\nMaine Dept. of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry - $1,000,000\n\nTown of Livermore Falls - $1,000,000\n\nTree Street Youth - $1,000,000\n\nWorkforce Housing Coalition Western Maine Mountains - $1,000,000\n\nBrooksville Town House - $902,938\n\nAshland Water & Sewer District - $680,000\n\nCity of Calais - $590,580\n\nOld Town Water District - $520,000\n\nIBEW Augusta Electrical JATC - $497,560\n\nCentral Maine Growth Council - $485,000\n\nSpruce Mountain Educational Fund - $368,000\n\nNorthern Maine Development Commission, Inc. - $360,210\n\nTown of Albion - $100,000\n\nCity of Augusta - $80,000\n\nMatinicus Isle Plantation - $70,400\n\nTown of Vinalhaven - $46,500\n\nThe funding from the Timber for Transit Program is allocated as follows:\n\nCity of Rockland - $4,000,000\n\nMain Street Skowhegan - $2,500,000\n\nThe funding from the Forest Economy Program is allocated as follows:\n\nSouthern Aroostook Development Corporation - $1,000,000\n\nA detailed description of each project can be read here.\n\n+++\n\nThe NBRC was established by Congress in 2008, with Senator Collins\u2019 and King\u2019s support, to fund a broad range of development projects in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York aimed at alleviating economic distress and encouraging private sector job creation.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-17T06:49:24Z", "2026-06-17T06:50:53Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-delivers-remarks-at-sweden-fire-station-dedication-and-open-house", "Senator Collins Delivers Remarks at Sweden Fire Station Dedication and Open House", "2026-06-13", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nSWEDEN, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins delivered remarks at the dedication and open house for the new Sweden Fire Station. Senator Collins was joined at the event by Sweden Fire Chief Tim Cook, Deputy Fire Chief Tommie McKenzie, Sweden Select Board Chair Kerry Welton, members of the Sweden Fire Department, town officials, and local residents.\n\n\u201cHere in Maine, one of our greatest needs is replacing or renovating obsolete public safety facilities,\u201d said Senator Collins during her remarks. \u201cThis new station replaces a building from the 1800s, once a general store, that lacked adequate storage, running water, and dedicated space for Sweden\u2019s brave volunteer firefighters. I am so pleased that the new station we celebrate today addresses those longstanding deficiencies and will better serve this rural community.\u201d\n\nFollowing her remarks, Senator Collins presented an American flag flown over the U.S. Capitol to Chief Cook in honor of the new station.\n\nSenator Collins secured $1.15 million through her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee to support the construction of the new fire station. The new facility includes ample space for equipment and storage, multiple restrooms with showers, a kitchen area, and decontamination equipment. The new station is also the first in the State of Maine equipped with illuminated fire engine bay guide lines that are automated in connection with each of the station\u2019s overhead doors.", 1, "2026-06-14T06:36:55Z", "2026-06-14T06:38:39Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-speaks-at-maine-credit-union-league-annual-convention", "Senator Collins Speaks at Maine Credit Union League Annual Convention", "2026-06-12", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nPORTLAND, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins delivered remarks at the Maine Credit Union League\u2019s (MCUL) Annual Convention in Portland. Hundreds of employees representing more than 40 credit unions across Maine were in attendance for the event.\n\n\u201cFor 88 years, the Maine Credit Union League has helped move our state forward. More than 750,000 individuals, families, and businesses are grateful for your commitment to their financial security and well-being,\u201d said Senator Collins during her remarks. \u201cMaine credit unions are valued partners of innovators, job creators, and the hard-working people of our state. You have taken on a vital role as protectors of our most vulnerable friends, neighbors, and family members. I look forward to continuing to work with you to help Mainers meet their financial needs and achieve their dreams.\u201d\n\nSenator Collins commended Maine credit unions for their leadership in protecting older adults from financial exploitation. She highlighted Maine\u2019s first-in-the-nation Senior$afe program, which trains financial employees to recognize the warning signs of fraud and exploitation. Senator Collins authored the bipartisan Senior Safe Act, which was based on this Maine program and signed into law in 2018, to expand these protections nationwide.\n\nShe also recognized the success of the MCUL\u2019s Campaign for Ending Hunger, which raised nearly $1.5 million in 2025 and has raised more than $16.3 million since it began in 1990. In addition, she applauded Maine credit unions for contributing a record-breaking 36,000 hours of volunteer service last year and for their continued work to provide financial education to students, older adults, and food pantry clients.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-13T06:32:19Z", "2026-06-13T06:34:27Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senators-collins-peters-urge-agriculture-committee-leaders-to-include-after-act-in-farm-bill", "Senators Collins, Peters Urge Agriculture Committee Leaders to Include AFTER Act in Farm Bill", "2026-06-12", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Gary Peters (D-MI) wrote to Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), the Chair and Ranking Member, respectively, of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, requesting that the Animal Freedom from Testing, Experimentation, and Research (AFTER) Act be included in the Senate version of the 2026 Farm Bill. Senators Collins and Peters introduced the AFTER Act earlier this year to ensure that federal agencies that use animals for research establish formal policies to facilitate the relocation of retired, healthy lab animals to private homes, animal rescues, or reputable sanctuaries.\n\nIn their letter, Senators Collins and Peters emphasized that many of the approximately 40,000 animals used for research across 12 federal agencies each year are suitable for adoption, and that these healthy animals should not be euthanized by the government. They also stressed the importance of ensuring that the highest standards of humane animal care and treatment are upheld in taxpayer-funded research.\n\n\u201cIn fiscal year 2024, the federal government experimented on approximately 40,000 regulated animals for research purposes across twelve federal agencies,\u201d Senators Collins and Peters wrote. \u201cThe animals used include cats, dogs, monkeys, and rabbits. In the absence of formal retirement policies at federal agencies, many of these otherwise healthy animals\u2014who were purchased with taxpayer dollars\u2014are euthanized rather than rehomed when they are no longer needed for federal research. This is wasteful and unnecessary. The Animal Freedom from Testing, Experimentation, and Research (AFTER) Act is simple: it makes retirement and adoption an option for healthy laboratory animals.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur legislation is narrowly tailored. It applies only to Animal Welfare Act-covered species and only to federal laboratories. It does not interfere with ongoing research. It does not mandate that animals be released,\u201d they continued. \u201cIt simply directs relevant federal agencies to develop policies to facilitate the adoption or sanctuary placement of laboratory animals to ensure that when animals are no longer needed for research, adoption and retirement are considered before such animals are euthanized at taxpayer expense.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnimals that are suitable for adoption or retirement should not be killed by our federal government. Including the AFTER Act in the Senate Farm Bill would provide the necessary direction for federal agencies to move forward with developing retirement policies, ensuring that federal research upholds the highest standards of humane care and treatment and helping to prevent the needless euthanasia of healthy animals. We respectfully request that this widely supported reform be included in the Senate Farm Bill and retained in the final, bicameral package,\u201d they concluded.\n\nClick here for the complete text of their letter.\n\n+++\n\nThe AFTER Act directs federal agencies to develop regulations that would facilitate the retirement of lab animals. DOD, VA, FDA, and NIH already have these rules in place. The bill provides flexibility for each agency to devise its own policies, with the goal of ensuring that such animals are retired rather than killed whenever possible. The legislation requires that animals be evaluated by a licensed veterinarian and pronounced both mentally and physically healthy before leaving an agency, helping to ensure a smooth transition to a new environment. Additionally, the bill encourages federal agencies to work with nonprofit organizations to help place retired animals in sanctuaries and shelters across the country, not just those closest to the research facility.\n\nThe bill has been endorsed by Maine Humane, the Humane World Action Fund, White Coat Waste, and the Kindness Ranch Animal Sanctuary.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-13T06:32:19Z", "2026-06-13T06:34:27Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-statement-on-the-retirement-of-maine-community-college-system-president-david-daigler", "Senator Collins\u2019 Statement on the Retirement of Maine Community College System President David Daigler", "2026-06-11", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE for a full-resolution image.\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins released the following statement regarding David Daigler\u2019s announcement that he will retire from his role as President of the Maine Community College System after the 2026-2027 academic year:\n\n\u201cDave Daigler has been an exceptional president of the Maine Community College System and a tireless advocate for Maine students and educators. I have always appreciated his steady leadership, deep understanding of Maine\u2019s workforce needs, and commitment to expanding educational opportunities across our state.\n\n\u201cUnder President Daigler\u2019s leadership, Maine\u2019s community colleges have strengthened their role as engines of economic growth, now serving more than 33,000 people each year. I\u2019ve appreciated working with Dave to expand short-term workforce training programs, strengthen Pell Grants and the TRIO program, and make important investments to modernize and develop new infrastructure, equipment, and programs throughout the system. His work has helped tens of thousands of Mainers gain the skills they need to succeed while supporting the businesses and communities that depend on a well-trained workforce.\n\n\u201cI thank Dave for his years of dedicated service to the State of Maine and wish him all the best in his future retirement.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-12T06:37:16Z", "2026-06-12T06:39:00Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-praises-growing-senate-support-for-insulin-act", "Senator Collins Praises Growing Senate Support for INSULIN Act", "2026-06-08", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins today praised the announcement of four new cosponsors for the bipartisan Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Act. With Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) now supporting the bill, the legislation has 22 cosponsors.\n\nThe INSULIN Act, introduced by Senator Collins with Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and John Kennedy (R-LA), would cap the cost of insulin at $35 per month for Americans with private and employer-sponsored insurance. It would also create a pilot program to make insulin available at the same cost to uninsured Americans, removing barriers to care and expanding access for millions of patients.\n\n\u201cTens of millions of Americans rely on insulin as part of their daily treatment, and for many, it is literally a matter of life and death. I have heard far too many stories from people in Maine and across the country who have been forced to ration their insulin because of the cost, and that is simply unacceptable,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThis bipartisan legislation would cap the cost of insulin at $35 and address underlying issues in the insulin market so that more patients\u2014both insured and uninsured\u2014can afford the medication they need. I am pleased to see growing support for this bill, which reflects a shared commitment to lowering costs and ensuring that no American is forced to go without lifesaving insulin.\u201d\n\nThe INSULIN Act would directly address the root problems in the insulin market causing high list prices, while simultaneously extending vital patient protections, fostering competition, and broadening access to needed insulin products.\n\nSpecifically, the INSULIN Act:\n\nLimits out-of-pocket costs for patients with diabetes by ensuring that group and individual market health plans must waive any deductible and limit cost-sharing to no more than $35 or 25% of list price per month for at least one insulin of each type and dosage form;\n\nMandates pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) pass through 100% of insulin rebates and other discounts received from manufacturers to plan sponsors, reducing incentives in the insulin market that encourage high list prices, thereby helping patients through reduced premiums;\n\nPromotes generic and biosimilar competition to lower costs to patients;\n\nCreates a pilot grant program for 10 states to implement programs to identify people with diabetes who are uninsured and provide them with insulin at $35 per month; and\n\nEstablishes an insulin resource center and hotline for people with diabetes who are uninsured to connect them with resources about diabetes and programs to help them secure insulin.\n\nThe bipartisan INSULIN Act is supported by the American Diabetes Association, Breakthrough T1D, and the Endocrine Society.\n\nClick here to read the complete text of the legislation.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-09T06:27:37Z", "2026-06-09T06:30:10Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-speaks-at-maine-vfw-state-convention", "Senator Collins Speaks at Maine VFW State Convention", "2026-06-05", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nNEWRY, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins delivered remarks at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Department of Maine\u2019s 105th State Convention in Newry. More than 100 people attended this year\u2019s convention, including VFW and VFW Auxiliary members and leaders, as well as representatives from VA Maine, Maine Veterans\u2019 Homes, the Maine Bureau of Veterans\u2019 Services, Honor Flight Maine, and Maine Paws for Veterans.\n\n\u201cIt is always an honor to salute the heroes who have served our nation in uniform and who continue to serve their communities through the VFW,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cFrom educating young people about American values through the Voice of Democracy and Patriots\u2019 Pen competitions to advocating for improved health care, suicide prevention, treatment and research for traumatic brain injury and PTSD, and earned benefits, the VFW continues to make an extraordinary difference for veterans, their families, and our country.\u201d\n\nDuring her remarks, Senator Collins also congratulated Olivia Drewniak, a high school senior from Woolwich, who became the first Mainer ever to win the national Voice of Democracy speech competition, and Piper Martin, a middle school student from Fort Fairfield, who was Maine\u2019s winning Patriots\u2019 Pen essayist. The VFW\u2019s Voice of Democracy and Patriots\u2019 Pen programs encourage high school and middle school students to reflect on American values, civic responsibility, and the service of America\u2019s veterans.\n\nSenator Collins, who is a member of the VFW Auxiliary in her hometown of Caribou, has long championed programs that support Maine veterans and their families. She strongly supported the new Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program facility at Togus VA Medical Center in Augusta, has worked to better care for veterans affected by toxic exposures through the PACT Act, and has secured more than $10 million in Congressionally Directed Spending in the past five years for critical upgrades to Maine Veterans\u2019 Homes facilities across the state.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-06T06:16:30Z", "2026-06-06T06:17:47Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-casts-10000th-consecutive-vote", "Senator Collins Casts 10,000th Consecutive Vote", "2026-06-04", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE to watch and HERE to download video of Senator Collins\u2019 remarks.\n\nClick HERE to watch and HERE to download video of Senator Angus King\u2019s remarks.\n\nClick HERE to watch and HERE to download video of Majority Leader John Thune\u2019s remarks.\n\nClick HERE to watch and HERE to download video of Minority Leader Chuck Schumer\u2019s remarks.\n\nClick HERE to watch and HERE to download video of Minority Whip Dick Durbin\u2019s remarks.\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins cast her 10,000th consecutive Senate roll call vote, extending the unbroken voting streak she began in 1997. She is the first Senator in U.S. history to have cast this many votes without ever missing one.\n\nThroughout her Senate service, Senator Collins has always made it a priority to return home to meet with constituents and visit communities, businesses, schools, and events.\n\n\u201cMainers are known for their work ethic, and they deserve a Senator who works just as hard for them,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cGrowing up in Aroostook County, I learned the value of hard work, perseverance, and honoring your commitments. I am proud to bring those Maine values with me to the Senate every day. Representing the State of Maine is the honor of a lifetime, and I will continue serve with the diligence and responsibility that Mainers deserve.\u201d\n\n\u201cI want to rise to also congratulate my colleague on a truly remarkable achievement that reflects her character and dedication to the people of this country...,\u201d said Senator King on the Senate floor. \u201cOur state is not one where the weather is always favorable, and it's always easy to get here. And to have maneuvered through bad storms, snow storms, nor'easters, to be here for every single vote, since the first day she set foot in this chamber, is a truly remarkable achievement.\"\n\n\u201cFor nearly 30 years, Susan Collins has shown up for Mainers, has ensured that they are represented in every single vote the Senate takes, no matter what,\u201d said Majority Leader Thune on the Senate floor. \u201cSusan takes pride in the milestones that she's achieved, not because of any desire to have her name in the history books, but because to her, these votes are a tangible marker of the goal that she's set for herself since she came to the United States Senate. And that is ensuring that Mainers always have a voice.\"\n\n\u201cNo matter what has been going on in the world, or in her life, Senator Collins has never, never, missed a vote in her entire Senate career,\u201d said Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on the Senate floor. \u201cThis is truly a remarkable milestone. Many of us try hard to make every vote. Senator Collins has actually done it. 10,000 times in a row. Senator Collins and I belong to different parties and do not always see eye to eye, but 10,000 consecutive roll call votes is an extraordinary streak by any measure, and I congratulate her on reaching it.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis is a true record, and it's one that reflects her commitment to public service, and in my case, friendship,\u201d said Minority Whip Dick Durbin on the Senate floor. \u201cWe have worked together in many different capacities. I remember the days after 9/11 when your extraordinary leadership with Senator Lieberman, if I'm not mistaken, led to a complete reform of the intelligence agencies in our nation. It was a dynamic legislative achievement, and I've talked to you about it many times...Our friendship is sound, and my admiration for your achievement is one that's on the record for all to witness. Congratulations.\u201d\n\nSenator Collins\u2019 first vote in the Senate was on January 22, 1997, when she voted to confirm Madeleine Albright as Secretary of State. Her second vote, the same day, was to confirm former Maine Senator Bill Cohen as Secretary of Defense. Senator Collins succeeded Secretary Cohen in the Senate.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-05T06:35:23Z", "2026-06-05T06:36:42Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-statement-on-the-accelerated-delivery-of-bath-built-future-uss-patrick-gallagher", "Senator Collins\u2019 Statement on the Accelerated Delivery of Bath-Built Future USS Patrick Gallagher", "2026-06-02", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement after the U.S. Navy\u2019s acceptance of the future USS Patrick Gallagher (DDG 127) from Bath Iron Works more than two months ahead of schedule following exceptional sea trials.\n\n\u201cThe accelerated delivery of the future USS Patrick Gallagher, made possible by its impressive performance during sea trials, is a testament to the extraordinary skill, dedication, and work ethic of the men and women at Bath Iron Works. This achievement will help get this new ship to our sailors sooner and strengthen our Navy at a critical time. Maine shipbuilders continue to prove that they are second to none because, as we know, \u2018Bath built is best built.\u2019\u201d\n\n+++\n\nThe ship is the final Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and is named in honor of Marine Corps Corporal Patrick Gallagher, who received the Navy Cross for his heroism during the Vietnam War.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-03T06:40:39Z", "2026-06-03T06:42:22Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senators-collins-reed-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-strengthen-job-corps-us-shipbuilding-workforce-pipeline", "Senators Collins, Reed Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Job Corps, U.S. Shipbuilding Workforce Pipeline", "2026-06-02", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Over the next decade, the maritime industrial base will need an estimated 100,000 skilled workers to build the high-tech ships and submarines our nation requires. To address this challenge and revitalize the nation\u2019s defense and maritime industrial bases, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Jack Reed (D-RI) led a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers in introducing the Job Corps Shipbuilding-Defense Industrial Base Pipeline Act to expand workforce training opportunities for American workers. A companion bill was introduced in the House by Representative Joe Courtney (D-CT-02).\n\nThe Job Corps Shipbuilding-Defense Industrial Base Pipeline Act would harness the collaboration between the armed services, defense industrial base, and Job Corps and registered apprenticeship programs (RAP) to prepare young workers to contribute to our national defense. It would extend eligibility for the Navy Shipbuilding Workforce Development Special Incentive program to Job Corps and RAPs and would help fund training by making Job Corps centers eligible for grants from the Department of Defense and other sources.\n\n\u201cThe Job Corps program has a proven track record of helping young people gain the skills they need to succeed, including in critical trades that support Maine\u2019s shipbuilding workforce at Bath Iron Works,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThis bipartisan bill would strengthen partnerships between Job Corps and our defense sector, giving centers like the Penobscot and Loring Job Corps Centers greater flexibility to align training with workforce needs and prepare students for good-paying careers that are vital to our national security.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Job Corps Shipbuilding-Defense Industrial Base Pipeline Act is a smart investment in our workforce, our communities, our national defense, and our future prosperity,\u201d said Senator Reed. \u201cOur national security will be strengthened by providing more skilled workers to address critical defense sector needs; young people will get life-changing career opportunities that will put them on a path to economic security and personal success; and the taxpayer will benefit from greater government efficiency in leveraging existing programs to address pressing national priorities. I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting this important legislation.\u201d\n\nJob Corps and RAPs have a proven track record of preparing young Americans for good-paying careers and offering Americans in their late teens and early twenties job-training, housing, health care, and a path to independence. In order to help these programs more effectively expand their services, this bill would provide Job Corps centers with the flexibility to make staffing and professional development decisions, enter into agreements with local partners, and engage stakeholders, while acting within existing budgets.\n\nAdditionally, the Job Corps Shipbuilding-Defense Industrial Base Pipeline Act would provide new avenues for participation in Job Corps and RAPs. The bill would require the Secretary of Defense to ensure military recruits who are ineligible for enlistment be made aware of opportunities to enroll in the Job Corps and registered apprenticeship programs to prepare them for enlistment or to learn skills that are in high demand in the defense industrial base. It would also streamline Job Corps\u2019 enrollment for interested servicemembers in pre-separation counseling.\n\nSince 1964, the federal Job Corps program has provided free vocational and career-training for underserved youth to help produce skilled workers for the nation\u2019s economy. Job Corps has served more than three million low-income youth and young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 who face barriers to education and employment.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-03T06:40:39Z", "2026-06-03T06:42:22Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senators-collins-shaheen-reintroduce-bipartisan-bill-to-strengthen-early-detection-of-type-1-diabetes", "Senators Collins, Shaheen Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Early Detection of Type 1 Diabetes", "2026-06-01", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), co-chairs of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, led the reintroduction of the bipartisan, bicameral Strengthening Collective Resources for Encouraging Education Needed (SCREEN) for Type 1 Diabetes Act to improve early detection and screening for Type 1 diabetes. A companion bill was introduced in the House by Representatives Kim Schrier (D-WA-08) and John Joyce (R-PA-13).\n\n\u201cEarly detection of Type 1 diabetes can prevent life-threatening conditions like diabetic ketoacidosis and potentially allow for the use of therapeutics to delay the clinical onset of the condition, helping to improve patients' quality of life and reduce their reliance on insulin,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cBy encouraging early detection and screenings, this bipartisan bill would empower both health care providers and the public with the knowledge to identify and manage T1D effectively.\u201d\n\n\u201cBecause the majority of Type 1 diabetics have no family history, many Americans don\u2019t know they have Type 1 until they need emergency care. That creates serious health risks for children and families that could be prevented by earlier detection and treatment,\u201d said Senator Shaheen. \u201cBy raising awareness about the signs and symptoms at a young age, we can better detect, diagnose and treat this life-threatening disease. I\u2019m proud to introduce this commonsense bill to double down on our efforts to ensure patients like my granddaughter can live healthy, happy lives.\u201d\n\nType 1 diabetes can occur in all ages but is the most common type of diabetes in children according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The rate of new cases of Type 1 diabetes in children younger than 20 years has steadily increased in the United States. Between 2002 and 2018, rates of Type 1 diabetes increased by approximately 2 percent per year among youths. More than 80 percent of Type 1 diabetes diagnoses occur in people with no family history of the disease, making awareness of the signs and symptoms especially important.\n\nSpecifically, the SCREEN for Type 1 Diabetes Act would:\n\nConduct a public awareness campaign to increase awareness of the signs and symptoms of Type 1 diabetes, as well as the importance of early detection and screening;\n\nRequire the CDC to consult with the National Academy of Medicine, health care provider associations, community health worker associations, nonprofits, state, local and tribal health departments, schools and universities to solicit advice on evidence-based information to use in the campaign; and\n\nDirect the CDC to award grants to one or more nonprofit entities with histories of carrying out similar public awareness campaigns.\n\nThe SCREEN for Type 1 Diabetes Act is endorsed by Breakthrough T1D and the American Diabetes Association.\n\n\u201cBreakthrough T1D applauds Senators Shaheen and Collins and Representatives Schrier and Joyce for introducing the SCREEN for Type 1 Act, a bipartisan bill to promote awareness and early detection for type 1 diabetes (T1D),\u201d said Lynn Starr, Chief Global Advocacy Officer of Breakthrough T1D.\u201cToo many people first learn of a T1D diagnosis in the emergency room during a medical crisis. Screening and early detection can change that by reducing the risk of life-threatening complications, giving individuals and families valuable time to prepare, and connecting them to clinical trials and therapies that may delay disease onset. As we continue advancing toward prevention and cures, we must ensure that families across the country can easily access screening and have the tools and information needed to respond.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe American Diabetes Association (ADA) applauds Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Susan Collins, as well as Congresswoman Kim Schrier and Congressman John Joyce for reintroducing the SCREEN for Type 1 Diabetes Act. Type 1 diabetes affects nearly two million Americans. Lack of awareness and early detection often leads to life threatening complications before diagnosis. This bill would improve public awareness, screening, and could help early detection of type 1 diabetes. Early detection of type 1 diabetes autoantibodies may result in individuals accessing therapies to delay onset of the disease. The ADA is committed to our mission to prevent and cure diabetes and improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes and we urge all members of Congress to support this legislation,\u201d said Lisa Murdock, Chief Advocacy Officer of the American Diabetes Association.\n\nClick here for the complete text of the bill.\n\nAs co-chairs of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, Senators Collins and Shaheen have led efforts in the Senate to advance priorities that will lower the costs of insulin, invest in treatment and detection and prioritize diabetes research. They recently led the introduction of the bipartisan INSULIN Act to cap the monthly out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $35 and create a pilot program for uninsured patients. The bipartisan proposal enjoys wide and growing support in Congress, with nine Senators from each party now backing the bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-02T06:40:38Z", "2026-06-02T06:42:17Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-welcomes-home-honor-flight-participants", "Senator Collins Welcomes Home Honor Flight Participants", "2026-05-31", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nBANGOR, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins helped welcome home more than 60 Maine veterans in Bangor following a trip to Washington, D.C., organized by Honor Flight Maine. During the trip, the veterans visited the memorials built in our nation\u2019s capital in recognition of their service. For some, this warm welcome was their first opportunity to return home alongside fellow service members to the kind of celebration all veterans deserve, but that some did not receive when they returned from their service.\n\n\u201cIt was deeply moving to join the Bangor community, along with the families and friends of these veterans, for this special homecoming,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cHonor Flight Maine makes it possible for our veterans to see firsthand the memorials that stand in tribute to them, while giving all of us the opportunity to remind them that their sacrifices will never be forgotten.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-01T06:42:11Z", "2026-06-01T06:43:43Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-meets-with-lewiston-police-department", "Senator Collins Meets with Lewiston Police Department", "2026-05-29", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nLEWISTON, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins visited the Lewiston Police Department yesterday to meet with Lewiston Police Chief Carly Conley and other members of the department. During the visit, Senator Collins discussed the public safety challenges facing the Lewiston community and toured the department\u2019s new headquarters.\n\nChief Conley, who has served with the Lewiston Police Department for 25 years, was sworn in as Chief in November 2025 and is the first woman to lead the department.\n\n\u201cI had a productive conversation with Lewiston Chief of Police Conley and her incredible team about the challenges facing the Lewiston community, including the rise of violent juvenile crime, which is a real tragedy for everyone involved,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThe men and women of the Lewiston Police Department put their lives on the line every day to keep local residents safe. I\u2019ll continue doing everything I can to support them and the critical work they do.\u201d\n\nEarlier this year, Senator Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured nearly $2.2 million through appropriations legislation to support the Lewiston PD\u2019s purchase of protective gear and other public safety equipment.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-30T06:11:53Z", "2026-05-30T06:13:24Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-speaks-at-dental-clinic-grand-opening-in-belfast", "Senator Collins Speaks at Dental Clinic Grand Opening in Belfast", "2026-05-29", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nBELFAST, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins delivered remarks at the grand opening ceremony for Penobscot Community Health Center\u2019s (PCHC) newly renovated Seaport Dental Center in Belfast. The 8-chair dental clinic is expected to serve approximately 7,200 patients each year and will provide acute and walk-in dental care services.\n\nDental care access in Waldo County is limited, especially for MaineCare, uninsured, and underinsured patients, and the new clinic will help reduce reliance on emergency departments for urgent dental needs.\n\n\u201cDental care is an integral part of overall health care, yet too many families in Maine\u2019s rural communities face long wait times and long drives to receive the services they need,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cIn Waldo County, there are more than 5,700 residents for every dentist, more than twice the state average. The Seaport Dental Center is an outstanding example of how a community-based facility can help close that gap. I was proud to secure more than $1.3 million to support this renovation project, which will help increase access to vital dental care for families in Belfast and throughout Waldo County.\u201d\n\nIn 2024, Senator Collins secured more than $1.3 million through her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee to support the renovation of the dental center, which is co-located with PCHC\u2019s primary care space.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-30T06:11:53Z", "2026-05-30T06:13:24Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-speaks-at-auburn-public-safety-building-groundbreaking", "Senator Collins Speaks at Auburn Public Safety Building Groundbreaking", "2026-05-28", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nAUBURN, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins delivered remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony for the City of Auburn\u2019s new public safety building. Auburn Fire Chief Robert Chase, Police Chief Jason Moen, City Manager Phil Crowell, members of the Fire, Police, and EMS Departments, and other local officials also participated in the ceremony.\n\nThe new facility will replace one of Auburn\u2019s outdated emergency response stations that no longer meets modern safety, health, and accessibility standards. Designed to meet current Occupational Safety and Health Administration and National Fire Protection Association health and safety requirements, the facility will improve emergency response times, expand training capacity, and enhance cooperation between emergency services. It will include a secure public entrance, booking area, interview rooms, evidence storage, locker and shower facilities, apparatus bay, living and bunk areas, training rooms, conference rooms, and community outreach spaces.\n\n\u201cOne of the greatest needs in Maine is addressing our many obsolete public safety facilities. That is why I have worked hard to secure nearly $87 million over the past five years for 45 new or renovated stations throughout Maine. The new public safety building in Auburn will bring the Police and Fire Departments together under one roof, improve the delivery of vital services, and help ensure that first responders have the safe, modern space to train and respond to emergencies that they deserve,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cI was proud to secure funding for this project through my role as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee to help make this new facility a reality and strengthen emergency services for Auburn and the surrounding communities for years to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cSenator Collins has long been a dedicated advocate for Maine communities, especially ours. She actively supports first responders in Auburn and across Maine by continuously securing millions in federal funding for public safety facilities, vehicles, and equipment. We\u2019re deeply grateful for her support of Auburn\u2019s Public Safety professionals and we are honored that she is here with us this morning,\u201d said Auburn City Manager Phil Crowell. \u201cIn Androscoggin County alone, the Senator has secured funding for 46 projects totaling nearly $106 million, including $2.5 million for the Auburn Public Safety Building project. Thanks to these targeted investments, our community and our state will be strengthened, and will see real and direct benefits.\u201d\n\nIn 2022, Senator Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured $2.5 million in Congressionally Directed Spending to support this project in the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-29T06:31:28Z", "2026-05-29T06:32:48Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-visits-enercon-technologies", "Senator Collins Visits Enercon Technologies", "2026-05-28", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nGRAY, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins visited Enercon Technologies in Gray yesterday to tour the company\u2019s 70,000-square foot facility and meet with company leadership, engineers, and manufacturing employees. Enercon designs and builds electro-mechanical devices for the medical, industrial, and defense sectors, including medical devices, circuit boards.\n\n\u201cEnercon Technologies is doing impressive work in Gray, employing hundreds of Mainers to design and manufacture products that support medical technology, national defense, and other important industries,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cI enjoyed touring the facility, meeting with members of the Enercon team, and seeing firsthand the skill and precision that have made this company a valued part of Maine\u2019s advanced manufacturing sector.\u201d\n\nAs the Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins secured $3 million in the recently enacted defense appropriations bill to support the manufacture of small unmanned aircraft systems for Air Force Special Operations Command. Enercon is among the Maine manufacturers with experience in the advanced manufacturing work needed for this initiative.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-29T06:31:28Z", "2026-05-29T06:32:48Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senators-collins-king-announce-uss-lassen-to-visit-eastport-for-fourth-of-july-celebration", "Senators Collins, King Announce USS Lassen to Visit Eastport for Fourth of July Celebration", "2026-05-27", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the USS Lassen (DDG-82) will visit Eastport as part of the city\u2019s America 250 Fourth of July celebration. The U.S. Navy has committed to sending the guided-missile destroyer, which has a crew of approximately 330 sailors.\n\n\u201cWe are grateful to the U.S. Navy for honoring Eastport and the State of Maine with this port visit during the city\u2019s Fourth of July celebration,\u201d said Senators Collins and King. \u201cThe arrival of the USS Lassen will give Mainers a special opportunity to meet and celebrate 250 years of American independence with the sailors valiantly serving our country. It\u2019s an honor to welcome these servicemembers to our state as we mark Independence Day, and we thank the Navy for making this visit possible.\u201d\n\nThe Eastport Fourth of July parade and festival is the largest in the state and draws thousands of people every year.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-28T06:29:45Z", "2026-05-28T06:31:18Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-marches-in-searsmont-memorial-day-parade", "Senator Collins Marches in Searsmont Memorial Day Parade", "2026-05-25", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nSEARSMONT, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins marched in the Searsmont Memorial Day parade. In addition to honoring the members of our armed forces who gave their lives in service to our country, this year\u2019s parade also honored the victims of the recent fire at Robbins Lumber, including local volunteer firefighter Andrew Cross of Morrill.\n\n\u201cFreedom is precious, and it comes at a tremendous price. On Memorial Day, and every day, we honor the brave men and women in uniform, as well as their families, who have made the ultimate sacrifice. I was honored to join the people of Searsmont this morning for their Memorial Day parade,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cIt was incredible to see so many local families and first responders turn out in the pouring rain. In the face of tragedy, Searsmont has been a powerful reminder of the resilience of Maine communities and the kindness of our neighbors. As the community continues to recover from the Robbins Lumber fire, we stand with all those affected and keep them, especially the family of fallen volunteer firefighter Andrew Cross, close to our hearts.\u201d\n\nOn Friday, Senator Collins attended the funeral of Andrew Cross, who tragically lost his life in the line of duty responding to the fire at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont earlier this month.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-26T06:27:29Z", "2026-05-26T06:29:16Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-speaks-at-southern-maine-veterans-memorial-cemetery", "Senator Collins Speaks at Southern Maine Veterans\u2019 Memorial Cemetery", "2026-05-25", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "ME", "Susan M. Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nSPRINGVALE, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins delivered remarks at a Memorial Day event held at Southern Maine Veterans\u2019 Memorial Cemetery (SMVMC) in Springvale. Members of the SMVMC Association, Major General Diane Dunn of the Maine National Guard, retired Captain James Manter of the U.S. Navy, and local veterans and residents were also in attendance at the event to honor those in uniform who lost their lives in service to our country.\n\n\u201cFrom Lexington and Concord to Little Round Top, Flanders Fields, Omaha Beach, and Iwo Jima, from Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan to our time, the men and women of our armed forces have added new and everlasting strands of valor, devotion to duty, and sacrifice to the story of our nation,\u201d said Senator Collins during her remarks. \u201cAs we look down the rows of headstones, the flowers, and the flags, we see our history. It is a history written not by powerful conquerors, but by ordinary men and women who set aside the comforts of home to answer the call to defend liberty. By keeping the trust of Memorial Day, we tell the families of the fallen that they do not bear this burden alone. May God bless our service men and women, and may God bless America.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-26T06:27:29Z", "2026-05-26T06:29:16Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 155, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Republican", "p1": "ME", "p2": "2026"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=ME&year=2026", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 155, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=ME&year=2026", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=ME&year=2026", "results": [{"value": "Senate", "label": "Senate", "count": 155, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=ME&year=2026&chamber=Senate", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=ME&year=2026", "results": [{"value": "ME", "label": "ME", "count": 155, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2026", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=ME&year=2026", "results": [{"value": "2026", "label": "2026", "count": 155, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=ME", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2026-05-25,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ecollins~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fsenator-collins-speaks-at-southern-maine-veterans-memorial-cemetery", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=ME&year=2026&_next=2026-05-25%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ecollins~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fsenator-collins-speaks-at-southern-maine-veterans-memorial-cemetery&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 193.91888286918402, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}