Sen. Susan Collins

It was great to visit Mid-Maine Technical Center in Waterville today to meet with students and instructors and to see several of the center’s programs in action, including the new engineering and manufacturing program that is supported by more than $700,000 in federal funding I secured to purchase new machine tooling, 3D metal printing, and other equipment. Seeing students work directly with advanced equipment and apply what they’re learning in real time shows how this kind of hands-on training helps prepare students well for careers in high-skilled, competitive fields. I was especially impressed to meet students in the nursing program who are on track to earn their certified nursing assistant credentials before graduating, helping address pressing workforce needs in Maine. As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to support initiatives aimed at improving workforce training in our state.

Today in York County, I visited community development projects supported by a combined $5.3 million in federal funding I secured, including both a substance use disorder treatment center and a first responder training facility. Days like today are a terrific reminder of all the good that is possible for our state when seniority on the Appropriations Committee is used to deliver targeted funding for tangible, lasting improvements in communities where they would otherwise be out of reach. With these projects, Alfred and the greater York County community will have expanded access to substance use disorder treatment to address the negative effects of the opioid and fentanyl crises, as well as a dedicated facility to train more firefighters, police officers, and EMS professionals to better keep our communities safe. These two projects are clear examples of the federal government working for Maine people, and I am glad I was able to secure this funding to help make them a reality.

As I have said since these hostilities with Iran began, the President’s authority as Commander-in-Chief is not without limits. The Constitution gives Congress an essential role in decisions of war and peace, and the War Powers Act establishes a clear 60-day deadline for Congress to either authorize or end U.S. involvement in foreign hostilities. That deadline is not a suggestion; it is a requirement. Our military has performed magnificently and with great courage and sacrifice in diminishing the threat that Iran poses to our country, our allies, the broader Middle East, and the world. Further military action against Iran must have a clear mission, achievable goals, and a defined strategy for bringing the conflict to a close. I voted to end the continuation of these military hostilities at this time until such a case is made.

Nurses are invaluable leaders who understand what it means to care for and serve others. It was a true honor to receive the National Health Leadership Award from the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology in recognition of my work to support funding for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Programs and to advocate for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses to be recognized by the Department of Education as holding “professional degrees.” I was especially grateful to be presented with this recognition by a group of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists from across the State of Maine.

TRIO programs have changed the lives of countless first-generation and low-income students in Maine and across the country. Three of my own staff members are TRIO alums and likely would not have attended college without TRIO. I oppose the Administration's proposal to, once again, eliminate programs that enjoy robust support and have made such a difference in the lives of children.

Constituent coffee is a highlight of my week in Washington. Thanks to all the Mainers who came today and brought a piece of home with them!

I’m thankful for the swift, lifesaving response of our brave Secret Service agents and law enforcement to the frightening gunshots at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. I am relieved that the President, First Lady, and the attendees at the dinner are safe and that the Secret Service agent who was shot was wearing a bulletproof vest and, according to the President, is doing well.

When our veterans come home, we need to welcome them all the way home by making sure they get the services and care they earned. That is why I was proud to be at Togus VA Medical Center in Augusta today as we marked the opening of the long-awaited Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program facility, the first long-term treatment center in Maine dedicated to caring for veterans facing substance use disorder, PTSD, and depression. It was wonderful to take part in the ceremony and to have the opportunity to recognize the sacrifices of the men and women this center was built to support. Caring for our veterans, both their visible wounds and their hidden injuries, is a necessary part of our obligation to them for their service to our country. For too long, Maine veterans have had to travel to Massachusetts or Vermont to receive this care through the VA. Now, they will be able to access it closer to home here in our state’s capital.

In Maine, toxic "forever chemicals" known as PFAS were present in wastewater sludge spread decades ago as fertilizer. Farmers were told this fertilizer was safe to use and using it would help their local municipalities. Instead, these toxic chemicals devastated some of our family farmers and rendered farm land and products unusable. The University of Maine is now a leader in research on how to address and remove PFAS, and it is critical the federal government continue to support this work. I've secured nearly $33 million through the Agriculture Appropriations bill over the past five years for the Agricultural Research Service at the University of Maine to establish a new Center of Excellence for PFAS Solutions, and will continue working to help farmers who are facing the consequences of PFAS contamination through no fault of their own.

I asked Secretary Lutnick to reaffirm his commitment to ensure that the Department of Commerce will work with Maine's lobster industry. Lobstermen and women are the best stewards of our waters and fundamental to our coastal communities. It takes all hands on deck to ensure that future regulatory actions will fully incorporate the most current population data for Right Whales, real-time monitoring technologies, and region-specific risk assessments, rather than relying on outdated assumptions that may no longer reflect the actual Right Whale distribution, or fishing patterns.

I sent a letter last month opposing the closures of two Taxpayer Assistance Centers—one in Bangor, Maine, and one in Augusta, Maine. These closures mean that someone from my hometown of Caribou, who needs in-person service faces a 10-hour-plus round trip to the nearest Taxpayer Assistance Center in Portland. That's the last remaining TAC in the entire State of Maine. That's just not reasonable, particularly when you consider that Maine has the oldest population by median age in the country. We have areas of the state where internet service is simply not available, and we have older adults who, even if it is available, may not have access to computers or to the skills that they need to use that method of getting help.

It was an honor to receive the Bryce Harlow Award and be recognized by my good friend @Sen_JoeManchin and the @BryceHarlow. The Bryce Harlow Award is about trust, respect, integrity, and results—values embodied by Bryce Harlow himself, and the incredible public servants past and present who have received this award, including Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Representative James Clyburn of South Carolina, and more. We must work to stand against the destructive trend of hyperpartisanship; the problems we face today will not be solved by the partisan divisiveness that created them.

It was great to see members of Maine’s fishing community in Washington to observe the 50th Anniversary of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the primary law that still governs marine fisheries in U.S. federal waters. It was only fitting that during this milestone we were able to celebrate the creation of the @USDA Office of Seafood, a new commitment to our fishing families and coastal communities that ensures they aren’t just part of Maine’s heritage but our future as well.

4-H is so important to the future of Maine ag. I had a great time meeting these 4-Hers from Pownal, Winslow, and Windham in D.C.

I’m so glad to announce that more than $4.3 million in additional federal home heating aid has been released for Maine through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) today. This action from the Administration follows a bipartisan letter I led last week along with @SenJackReed and @lisamurkowski urging the immediate release of the remaining LIHEAP funds for Fiscal Year 2026. LIHEAP provides vital relief to thousands of Mainers, helping them avoid the constant worry of choosing between heating their homes and covering other basic necessities. More than $38 million has already been distributed to low-income households and seniors on fixed incomesin Maine through the program this winter. The Senate Appropriations Committee worked in a bipartisan manner to increase funding for LIHEAP in our Fiscal Year 2026 negotiations, overriding the Administration’s proposed elimination of the program. LIHEAP applications are open through May 29, 2026, or until funds are exhausted. Mainers can visit Maine Housing online to check their eligibility and apply for the program.

Today, I visited the Dixmont Fire Station and saw firsthand how the current facility no longer meets the needs of the firefighters or the community it serves. Volunteer firefighters are the backbone of towns like Dixmont, answering the call at all hours to protect their neighbors. That’s why I secured more than $2.3 million in federal funding to help the town build a modern station that improves emergency response and firefighter safety and gives the dedicated men and women of the Dixmont Volunteer Fire Department the space and equipment they need to do their work effectively for years to come. In the last five years, I have secured nearly $87 million to rehabilitate, expand, or replace 45 fire stations across the State of Maine so that more of our brave first responders have the safe, up-to-date facilities they deserve.

This week, I introduced Jessica Belvill of Union at a Senate HELP Committee roundtable on dyslexia. Jessica is a special educator and also the mother of a son with dyslexia. Hearing her family’s story made clear how often dyslexia is still misunderstood in our schools and how the lack of early screening, timely diagnosis, and adequate funding for evidence-based dyslexia instruction can set students back for years. Even today, Jessica continues to face challenges getting consistent help for her son at school. I came away from this discussion committed to making early screenings and diagnoses more available and better ensuring our schools have the resources they need, so that other students are not forced to spend years being treated as if they’re failing when they simply need the right support.

The creation of the @USDA Office of Seafood is great news for an industry that is at the core of Maine's heritage. This office will help expand access to transformative USDA programs for American seafood cultivators, producers, and processors. It's a long-overdue, essential step to add seats at the table for our hardworking fishing families.

Since her husband Bruce’s diagnosis with frontotemporal dementia, Emma Heming Willis has experienced the tremendous challenges that come with being a caregiver for a loved one with a neurodegenerative disease. I’m thankful to Emma for meeting with me today about issues we both care deeply about—providing support for the 59 million Americans who are dedicated caregivers and working toward a future without neurodegenerative disease.