Senator Susan Collins Urges Senate Support for House-Passed Continuing Resolution

Support for the Continuing Resolution

• 🏛️ Senator Susan Collins urges the passage of a continuing resolution (CR) approved by the House of Representatives.
• 🗓️ This CR is a stop-gap measure to continue current government funding levels until November 21st, providing Congress time to work on annual appropriations bills.
• 🚫 Collins clarifies that this is not a year-long CR, which she states caused difficulties for the Department of Defense in the past due to obstruction.

Appropriations Process and Past Obstruction

• 📜 The Senate has passed its first package of fiscal year 2026 appropriations bills with bipartisan support, including funding for agriculture, FDA, military construction, veterans affairs, and the legislative branch.
• 🤝 Senate subcommittee leaders are working with House counterparts to reconcile differences between House and Senate bills.
• ⚠️ Collins contrasts the current collaborative approach with the previous year, when then-Majority Leader Senator Schumer allegedly refused to bring any appropriations bills to the Senate floor, resulting in a full-year CR for FY2025.

Consequences of Government Shutdowns

• 📉 Government shutdowns have negative consequences, requiring essential employees like border patrol agents and military personnel to work without certainty of pay.
• 🛡️ Critical investments in national defense, training exercises, and new programs would be put on hold, potentially harming national readiness.
• 🛑 Federal funding for national priorities, including grants for law enforcement, Head Start programs, child welfare services, and support for older Americans and individuals with disabilities, would be halted.
• 🏞️ National parks would experience disruptions, impacting visitor experiences and local small businesses, as seen in previous shutdowns affecting places like Acadia National Park.

Opposition to Partisan Alternatives

• ❌ Collins criticizes a partisan alternative proposed by congressional Democrats, which she states is filled with "poison pill riders" and significant policy changes.
• 🏥 A particularly concerning aspect of the Democratic version is the proposed repeal of a $50 billion fund authored by Collins to support rural hospitals at risk of closure.
• 📈 While supporting the extension of the enhanced premium tax credit for health insurance, Collins notes it does not have a September 30th deadline and should be addressed separately from appropriations.

Call to Action

• ✅ Collins urges colleagues to abandon "brinksmanship" and adopt the straightforward, clean CR from the House to avoid an unnecessary government shutdown.
• 🎯 This action would allow Congress time to complete the FY2026 appropriations process and continue work on other important issues like the enhanced premium tax credit.