Honorable Susan Collins
United States Senator, Maine, Republican
Sen. Collins is the senior U.S. senator from Maine, first elected in 1997. She currently serves on the following committees: Appropriations; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; and Intelligence. The following is her speech on the Senate floor delivered Oct. 15, 2025, in favor of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2026. Today, the Senate has the opportunity to begin consideration of an appropriations bill that is vital to our national defense and to the well-being of the brave men and women who serve in our Armed Forces. The fiscal year 2026 defense appropriations bill would provide U.S. military services…
