U.S. Senator Susan Collins has officially assumed the role of Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, marking a significant milestone as she becomes the first Republican woman to lead this influential committee. The Senate Appropriations Committee is responsible for overseeing all discretionary spending across the federal government.
Senator Collins, who was first elected in 1996, holds the distinction of being the seventh most senior member of the Senate and is recognized as the most senior Republican woman. Her new position also makes her the first Republican woman to chair this committee and the first person from Maine to do so in 92 years.
Reflecting on her early days in the Senate, Senator Collins stated, “When I first joined the Senate, there were only nine women Senators, a number that was fewer than the number of Senate committees.” She added, “In an historic first, the 118th Congress began with four women atop the Senate and House Appropriations Committees. I am honored to embark on this new leadership role as the first Republican woman to Chair the Committee and will continue to work to ensure that federal spending produces real results for the American people.”
As Chair, Senator Collins outlined her priorities: "My priorities will remain helping Maine’s communities, funding lifesaving biomedical research, investing in rural communities by supporting education, workforce, and child care programs, strengthening our national security, and improving our infrastructure."
Having joined the Appropriations Committee in 2009, Senator Collins previously served as Vice Chair of this committee during the last Congress and held roles such as Ranking Member of both Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee.
In collaboration with Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), top Senators on this committee during the 118th Congress committed to a bipartisan approach adhering to regular order. This process resulted in twelve bills shaped by input from all committee members. As Chair, Senator Collins remains committed to maintaining this collaborative process while aiming for floor consideration of appropriations bills reported by her committee.
