Majority News Releases
Senate Passes Appropriations Bills with Significant Wins for Maine
For the first time since 2018, Senate passes appropriations legislation before August recess Click HERE to watch and HERE to download Senator Collins’ floor remarks ahead of the vote. Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, advanced significant funding and legislative language for Maine in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 appropriations legislation that passed the Senate today. Senate passage is an important step in the appropriations process, and th… Continue Reading
08.01.25
Senate Passes FY 2026 Agriculture Appropriations Bill
Bill passes Senate by a vote of 87-9 Washington, D.C. - Today, the U.S. Senate passed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Related Agencies Appropriations Act by a vote of 87-9. The bill, which provides $27.1 billion in discretionary funding, invests in America’s rural communities, supports our nation’s farmers and ranchers, keeps our food supply secure, and maintains nutritional support for low-income American families. “T… Continue Reading
08.01.25
Senate Passes FY 2026 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill
Bill passes Senate by a vote of 81-15 Washington, D.C. - Today, the U.S. Senate passed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act by a vote of 81-15. The legislation provides support for physical and cyber security, technology infrastructure, and overall legislative work capacity of Congress. The bill provides $7.1 billion in discretionary funding for legislative branch agencies, when combined with funding for the U.S. House of Representatives ($2.2 billion). "Th… Continue Reading
08.01.25
Senate Passes FY 2026 MilCon-VA Appropriations Bill
Bill passes Senate by a vote of 87-9 Washington, D.C. - Today, the U.S. Senate passed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Act by a vote of 87-9. The legislation provides support for critical housing, infrastructure, and facilities for U.S. military forces and their families, as well as increased funding for veterans health care and benefits. The bill provides $153.5 billion in discretionary funding, including … Continue Reading
07.31.25
Bill to Fund Key Health, Workforce, and Education Programs in Maine Clears Appropriations Committee
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured significant funding and provisions for Maine in the Fiscal Year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House. The measure, which was advanced by a vote of 26-3, provides $197 in discretionary fundi… Continue Reading
07.31.25
Bill to Fund Key Defense Programs in Maine Clears Appropriations Committee
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured significant funding and provisions for Maine in the Fiscal Year 2026 Defense Appropriations Act. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House. The measure, which was advanced by a vote of 26-3, provides $851.9 billion in discretionary funding. “This legislation supports the brave men… Continue Reading
07.31.25
Senate Committee Approves FY 2026 Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations Bill
Bill passes Committee by a vote of 26-3 Washington, D.C. - The Senate Committee on Appropriations today approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, providing support to strengthen America’s workforce and fund important health and education programs. The measure, which was advanced by a vote of 26-3, provides $197 billion in discretionary funding. “This bill prioritizes funding to help make Americans healt… Continue Reading
07.31.25
Senate Committee Approves FY 2026 Defense Appropriations Bill
Bill passes Committee by a vote of 26-3 Washington, D.C. - The Senate Committee on Appropriations today approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Defense Appropriations Act, providing the U.S. military services with the funding needed to deter China and Russia, support servicemembers and their families, and strengthen the defense industrial base. The measure, which was advanced by a vote of 26-3, provides $851.9 billion in discretionary funding. “At a time when we face numerous complex t… Continue Reading
07.24.25
Bill to Fund Key Transportation and Housing Programs in Maine Clears Appropriations Committee
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured significant funding and provisions for Maine in the Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Act. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House. The measure, which was advanced by a vote of 27-1, provides $400 million in defense funding and $99.… Continue Reading
07.24.25
Bill to Fund Key Interior and Environmental Programs in Maine Clears Appropriations Committee
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured significant funding and provisions for Maine in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House. The measure, which was advanced by a vote of 26-2, provides $38.6 billion in nondefense discretion… Continue Reading
07.24.25
Senate Committee Approves FY 2026 Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill
Bill passes Committee by a vote of 26-2 Washington, D.C. - The Senate Committee on Appropriations today approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, providing support for tribal programs, National Parks, public lands, and federal efforts to suppress wildfires. The measure, which was advanced by a vote of 26-2, provides $38.6 billion in nondefense discretionary funding. “From programs geared toward providing clean drinking water an… Continue Reading
07.24.25
Senate Committee Approves FY 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill
Bill passes Committee by a vote of 27-1 Washington, D.C. - The Senate Committee on Appropriations today approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Act, providing resources to revitalize America’s infrastructure, improve aviation safety, and address housing availability and affordability challenges. The measure, which was advanced by a vote of 27-1, provides $400 million in defense funding and $99.8 billion … Continue Reading
07.22.25
Senate Votes to Advance FY 2026 MilCon-VA Appropriations Bill
Bill advanced by a procedural vote of 90-8 Click HERE to watch and HERE to download Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, delivered remarks on the Senate floor ahead of the Senate’s 90-8 procedural vote to advance the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Act. This bipartisan bill advanced out of the Committee last week by a vote of 26-3. A transcript of S… Continue Reading
07.18.25
Bill to Support Maine’s Lobster Industry Clears Appropriations Committee
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced significant funding and key language to support Maine’s lobster industry in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations bill. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House. “This funding would support Maine’s lobster indus… Continue Reading
07.18.25
Bill to Fund Key Military Construction Projects in Maine Clears Appropriations Committee
Bill passes Committee by a vote of 26-3 Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured significant funding and provisions for Maine in the Fiscal Year 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The measure, which was advanced by a vote of 26-3, provides $153.5 billion in discretionary funding, including $19.8 billion in defense funding and $133.6 billion in nondefense fundi… Continue Reading
07.17.25
Senate Committee Approves FY 2026 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill
Washington, D.C. - The Senate Committee on Appropriations today approved the Fiscal Year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations Act, providing support for law enforcement, economic development, scientific research, and other national priorities. The measure, which was advanced by a vote of 19-10, provides $79.7 billion in discretionary funding, including $6.6 billion in defense funding and $73.1 billion in nondefense funding. "This legislation i… Continue Reading
07.17.25
Senate Committee Approves FY 2026 MilCon-VA Appropriations Bill
Bill passes Committee by a vote of 26-3 Washington, D.C. - The Senate Committee on Appropriations today approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Act, providing support for critical housing, infrastructure, and facilities for U.S. military forces and their families, as well as increased funding for veterans health care and benefits. The measure, which was advanced by a vote of 26-3, provides $153.5 billi… Continue Reading
07.15.25
Senator Collins’ Statement on Rescissions Package
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on her vote against discharging the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) rescissions package. “The rescissions package has a big problem - nobody really knows what program reductions are in it. That isn’t because we haven’t had time to review the bill. Instead, the problem is that OMB has never provided the details that would normally be part of this process. … Continue Reading
07.10.25
Bill to Fund Key Agricultural Programs in Maine Clears Appropriations Committee
Bill passes Committee by a vote of 27-0 Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured significant funding and provisions for projects in Maine in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The measure, which was advanced by a unanimous vote of 27-0, provides $27.1 billion in discretionary funding. Committee markup of the FY 2026 Agr… Continue Reading
07.10.25
Senate Committee Approves FY 2026 Agriculture Appropriations Bill
Bill passes Committee by a vote of 27-0 Washington, D.C. - The Senate Committee on Appropriations today approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, to invest in America’s rural communities, support our nation’s farmers and ranchers, keep our food supply secure, and maintain nutritional support for low-income American families. The measure, which was advanced by a unanimous vote of 27-0, pr… Continue Reading