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Susan Margaret Collins is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator for Maine since 1997. A member of the Republican Party, she is Maine's longest-serving member of Congress and the longest-serving Republican woman in the Senate. Collins has chaired the Senate Appropriations Committee since 2025.
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politics · American politician (born 1952) · politician · congressional staff · director · also Susan Collins, Susan Margaret Collins, Senator Susan Collins, Sen. Susan Collins, Sen. Collins, Senator Collins
Born 7 December 1952 · Q22279
133 published statements · 0 followers
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Susan Collins on her vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court
Susan Collins speech at 2020 United States presidential election Electoral College count
Susan Collins speech at 2020 United States presidential election Electoral College count
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s decision. In another statement, Collins argued that net neutrality regulations would help rural communities obtain access to the internet and that the regulations strengthened consumer privacy protections, citing the Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal for failing to protect consumers
“s decision. In another statement, Collins argued that net neutrality regulations would help rural communities obtain access to the internet and that the regulations strengthened consumer privacy protections, citing the Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal for failing to protect consumers”
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“allow Iran to continue to launch this kind of attack”
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“ignores cases in the medical literature involving women with very serious physical health problems”
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“clearly need to re-interview some witnesses whose accounts [Cohen] contradicts”
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“national zoning authority for every neighborhood in our country”
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“This was the most difficult bill to bring from conception to birth that I can imagine being involved with. But that makes the victory doubly satisfying.”
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“contributes to the profound distrust that the American people have in government”
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U.S. Senator Susan Collins (.gov): Senator Collins Walks in Madison-Anson Days Parade
newscentermaine.com: Susan Collins and Troy Jackson compete for votes on weekend campaign trail 73 days before Election Day
Modern Ghana: 'Clearly that was a lie': Troy Jackson blasts Sen. Susan Collins' response to ICE in Maine
C-SPAN: Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) Attends Madison-Anson Days Parade - C-SPAN
Yahoo: Susan Collins Needs Money For The Gas Her Iran War Vote Made Expensive
Bangor Daily News: Letter: Susan Collins enables Trump agenda that harms children
foxbangor.com: Maine Democrats say Sen. Susan Collins is loyal to big corporations, not Mainers
Centralmaine.com: Does Troy Jackson stand a chance against Susan Collins? | Opinion
Oneindia: Democrat Troy Jackson RIPS Susan Collins Over Maine Cash, Accusing Her Of Taking More Than Bringing
Bangor Daily News: Letter: Susan Collins should use federal funding to hold Donald Trump accountable
U.S. Senator Susan Collins (.gov): Senator Collins Visits Energy Storage Project in Lincoln with Energy Secretary Wright
U.S. Senator Susan Collins (.gov): Senator Collins Tours Historic Wildcat Lobster Pound in St. George
newscentermaine.com: U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright visits future battery storage facility with Susan Collins, Paul LePage
AFP Fact Check rated the claim “Senator Susan Collins supported Medicaid cuts in 2025” False.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
wonderwall.com: Susan Collins Seeks $5 Donations Amid Iran War Scrutiny
Bangor Daily News: Susan Collins takes cautious line on data centers opposed by most Mainers
The Times of India: ‘JUST $5 FOR GAS’: Trump Ally Susan Collins ‘BEGS’ Voters For Cash After Backing COSTLY Iran War
The Borowitz Report: Susan Collins Challenges Democratic Rival to Pearl-clutching Contest
The Portland Press Herald: Thank you, Susan Collins, now hit the road | Opinion
Bangor Daily News: Letter: Mainers have the power to choose someone better than Susan Collins
Bangor Daily News: Letter: Let’s keep Susan Collins in the Senate
Newsmax: Planned Parenthood Targets Sen. Collins in $600K Maine Ad Buy
Yahoo: Susan Collins Seeks $5 Campaign Donations for Statewide Tour After Iran War Votes
tag24.com: Susan Collins facing stiff opposition as Planned Parenthood goes on the attack in Maine
The Washington Post: Planned Parenthood to spend more than $600,000 against Susan Collins in Maine
FactCheck.org rated the claim “"Susan Collins voted to support Donald Trump on the largest Medicaid cut in history."” False.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
Public attention spiked: 8,123 Wikipedia readers in one day, 3× the usual 2,698, with 0 article edits. Coverage that week: “Troy Jackson: the Maine lumberjack Democrats believe can beat Susan Collins” (The Guardian).
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Public attention spiked: 9,352 Wikipedia readers in one day, 3.5× the usual 2,698, with 1 article edits.
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Public attention spiked: 8,854 Wikipedia readers in one day, 3.3× the usual 2,698, with 0 article edits.
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Public attention spiked: 22,967 Wikipedia readers in one day, 8.5× the usual 2,698, with 7 article edits. Editors noted: Undid 2 revisions from 1362616503 until 1362617954 Everything added by this indeffed editor is suspect. If someone else would like to check the sources and re-a
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PolitiFact rated the claim “Sen. Susan Collins “sided with Trump, giving billionaires and corporations a hand out, paid for by cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.”” False.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
Public attention spiked: 36,131 Wikipedia readers in one day, 13.4× the usual 2,698, with 9 article edits. Editors noted: External links unopposed
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Public attention spiked: 14,878 Wikipedia readers in one day, 5.5× the usual 2,698, with 2 article edits. Editors noted: this lead is way too long, so I deleted two sentences that violate WP:SUMMARY. her votes against and for these two pieces of legislation are only one sentence e
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Campaign: 2026 election campaign.
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In 2026, Collins revealed that she had been diagnosed with an essential tremor.
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Collins voted to move the One Big Beautiful Bill Act through the legislative process to file a "number of amendments"
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Awarded BBC 100 Women (2024).
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The Senate recognized her 9,000th vote that night, surpassing Grassley's 8,927-vote streak earlier in March
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Career landmark: United States senator (2023).
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The Lugar Center ranked Collins first among senators for bipartisanship
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Collins voted against the Women's Health Protection Act of 2022, a bill that would prohibit a variety of restrictions on access to abortion, on the basis that it went too far beyond the standards established in Roe v
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PolitiFact rated the claim “Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins and Mitt Romney “are pro-pedophile.”” Pants on Fire.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
Claimed: “President Biden “helped politicize the entire nomination process” by promising as a candidate in 2020 to appoint a Black woman to the Supreme Court. Ronald Reagan's promise to appoint a woman “isn't exactly the same.”” — rated We Review The Facts by FactCheck.org.
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Collins became one of ten Republican senators to support a bipartisan agreement on gun control, which included a red flag provision, a support for state crisis intervention orders, funding for school safety resources, st
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Collins received additional criticism for her support of Kavanaugh after a leaked draft of the Supreme Court opinion in Dobbs v
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Voted with 10 other Republicans and all members of the Democratic caucus to break the filibuster on raising the debt ceiling
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Was one of 15 Senate Republicans to join all Democrats and both Independents to approve a temporary spending bill to continue government funding and avoid a government shutdown
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Along with five other Republicans and all present Democrats, she voted to establish a bipartisan commission to investigate the Capitol attack
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Axios revealed the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigation of defense contractor Martin Kao, former CEO of Navatek, who funneled $150,000 to a pro-Collins super PAC, 1820PAC, via a shell LLC, Society for Young Wome
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Collins was one of the seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial
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Collins was one of seven Republican senators to vote to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial
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Collins was participating in the certification of the Electoral College vote count when Trump supporters attacked the United States Capitol
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Collins became the longest-serving Republican female senator in history, surpassing Margaret Chase Smith, who held the same Senate seat
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Career landmark: United States senator (2021–2023).
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Collins was one of three Republican senators to decline to sign an amicus brief supporting an anti-abortion Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy
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Collins was the only Republican senator to vote against the confirmation of Trump's nominee Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court
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AP News rated the claim “Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said she was “not certain” Judge Amy Coney Barrett was the right person to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court.” False.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
Claimed: “Says Sara Gideon "voted to defund" the Freeport police "and gave the money to a nonprofit she helped run."” — rated False by PolitiFact.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
Snopes rated the claim “U.S. Sen. Susan Collins said, "Yes, I said that I wouldn't endorse him but that doesn't mean I don't fully support him" in regards to U.S. President Donald Trump in 2020.” False.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
Claimed: “Says Sara Gideon’s husband’s law firm “took up to $2 million” from the same federal program she “falsely” attacked Susan Collins over.” — rated Half True by PolitiFact.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
Snopes rated the claim “Author Stephen King placed billboards targeting U.S. Sen. Susan Collins outside his home in Bangor, Maine.” False.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
Collins faced renewed criticism of her vote by progressive groups when Kavanaugh said states should be permitted to severely reduce access to and availability of abortion in his dissent in June Medical Services LLC v Rus
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To seek to have the ACA ruled unconstitutional by the courts (in a 5–4 Supreme Court decision in 2012, Chief Justice Roberts upheld the ACA by citing the individual mandate)
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Collins was challenged by Democratic State House Speaker Sara Gideon
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Career landmark: United States senator (2019–2021).
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Introduced bipartisan legislation to oppose Trump's declaration emergency at the southern border in order to build a wall
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There was bipartisan opposition to Ratcliffe's nomination
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PolitiFact rated the claim ““The Collins-Nelson bill will not protect pre-existing conditions. It has nothing to do with pre-existing conditions.”” Mostly False.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
Claimed: ““I would note that Planned Parenthood opposed three pro-choice justices just because they were nominated by Republican presidents, David Souter, Sandra Day O’Connor and Justice Kennedy. They said the same thing: Women will die.”” — rated False by The Washington Post.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
Collins was one of three Republicans voting with Democrats to repeal rule changes enacted by the Republican-controlled FCC
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When Kavanaugh voted with the court's four Democratic-appointed justices and Chief Justice John Roberts not to hear cases against Planned Parenthood from Kansas and Louisiana, although Planned Parenthood disagreed with h
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Collins co-sponsored the NICS Denial Notification Act, legislation developed in the aftermath of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting that would require federal authorities to inform states within a day after a pers
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Collins and Senators Tim Kaine, Catherine Cortez Masto, and Shelley Moore Capito authored the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act, legislation centered on providing a public health app
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The day the FCC was set to hold a vote on net neutrality, Collins and King sent the FCC a letter asking that the vote be postponed to allow public hearings on the merits of repealing net neutrality
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Collins opposed Trump's executive order to ban entry to the U
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Career landmark: United States senator (2017–2019).
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At the beginning of the Trump administration
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“plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. She announced she would vote against the Senate version of the Republican bill to repeal Obamacare. Collins also clarified that she opposed repealing the ACA without a replacement proposal. On July 26, Collins was one of seven Republicans in voting against repealing the ACA without a suitable replacement. On July 27, she joined two other Republicans in voting against the”
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Collins announced that she would not vote for Donald Trump, the Republican nominee in the 2016 presidential election
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Collins authored the Safe Treatments and Opportunities to Prevent Pain Act, a provision intended to encourage the National Institutes of Health to further its research into opioid therapy alternatives for pain management
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“not only should there be a price to pay in terms of sanctions, but also we need to put safeguards in place right now for the elections for this year.”
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Published video “Senator Collins' SOTU Response”.
Published video “Senators Collins and Donnelly announce the reintroduction of the 40 Hours is Full Time Act”.
Career landmark: United States senator (2015–2017).
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Received a "C" grade on gun rights from the NRA Political Victory Fund, rising to a "B" rating in 2020
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Published video “Senator Collins' Statement on Syria”.
Published video “Senator Collins asks about possible missile defense site in Maine”.
Published video “U.S. Senate Hearing to Examine Impact of Type 1 Diabetes”.
Published video “A Memorial Day Message from Senator Susan Collins”.
Published video “Senator Susan Collins Leads Effort to Reform Military Justice System to Address Sexual Assaults”.
Published video “Senator Collins discusses Maine's ports and harbors”.
Published video “Senator Collins says military must have zero tolerance for sexual assault”.
Published video “Senator Collins discusses the FAA furloughs causing disruptions to air travel”.
When Snowe left the Senate and was replaced by independent Angus King, who defeated Collins in the 1994 governor election
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Collins was one of 14 Republicans to vote in favor of a comprehensive immigration bill that included border security and a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants
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Collins sided with Obama's position 75
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Career landmark: United States senator (2013–2015).
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Awarded Maine Women's Hall of Fame (2011).
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Career landmark: United States senator (2011–2013).
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Called for the removal of Arnold Fields as Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, citing his repeated expressing of concern for the SIGAR and his disappointment with the Obama administration's "ong
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Collins played a role in removing $870 million in pandemic flu funding from a $787 billion stimulus package
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Collins was called one of "the last survivors of a once common species of moderate Northeastern Republican"
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Career landmark: United States senator (2009–2011).
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Collins joined the bipartisan Gang of 20, which sought to break a deadlock on a bill allowing offshore drilling that would devote billions in proceeds to renewable energy development
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Collins voted against the bipartisan McCain-Kennedy comprehensive immigration reform proposal, which would have given undocumented immigrants (including those brought into the United States as minors) a pathway to citize
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Career landmark: United States senator (2007–2009).
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Collins introduced the Accountability in Government Contracting Act, which removed a 3% withholding tax for federal contractors and required the Federal Acquisition Institute to develop a strategic acquisition plan
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Career landmark: United States senator (2005–2007).
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Collins was one of the primary sponsors of legislation overhauling the U
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Collins expressed concerns about how the Bush administration wanted to implement its proposed plan to cut taxes
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Career landmark: United States senator (2003–2005).
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Collins voted in favor of the Iraq War Resolution authorizing President Bush to go to war against Iraq
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The Senate overwhelmingly approved the creation of the Department of Homeland Security while a Democratic effort to remove the bill's provisions fell short on a 52-to-47 vote that came after President George W
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Career landmark: United States senator (2001–2003).
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“a number of allegations that may or may not be illegal, but they may be improper.”
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Collins authored a measure that granted the United States Secretary of Education authority to grant waivers that would relieve reservists and members of the National Guard from making federal student loan payments during
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Career landmark: United States senator (1999–2001).
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The Senate adopted a broader investigation into White House and congressional campaign fund-raising practices than Senate Republicans initially wanted
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Career landmark: United States senator (1997–1999).
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And has been reelected every six years since
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Became the Republican nominee for governor of Maine in the 1994 general election
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Career landmark: Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts (1993–1993).
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Collins joined the cabinet of Governor John R
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Became staff director of the Oversight of Government Management Subcommittee of the Committee on Governmental Affairs in 1981
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Studied at St. Lawrence University (1975).
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Born 1952-12-07.
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