From the Senate Floor, Senator Collins Urges Colleagues to Support National Security Supplemental

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Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Subcommittee on Defense, delivered remarks on the Senate floor today following the Senate’s 67-32 procedural vote to advance the national security supplemental package.

A transcript of Senator Collins’ remarks are as follows:

“Mr. President, there are pivotal times in our nation’s history when what we do in this chamber really matters.  How we vote may well determine whether people live or whether they die; whether men and women live under the dictates of an authoritarian regime or as free people in a democratic nation; whether terrorists continue to commit atrocities, kidnap children, kill our troops, or are defeated. 

“Mr. President, this is such a moment.

“This week, General Kurilla, the Commander of U.S. Central Command, told me that this is the most dangerous security situation in 50 years... 50 years.

“The defense supplemental bill before us would strengthen our own military.  It would send a strong message to Putin that his goal of capturing free, democratic nations will not be allowed to succeed.  It would reassure our closest ally in the Middle East, Israel, that terrorists will not achieve their goal of wiping that nation off the face of the map.  It would counter Chinese aggression, and, Mr. President, it would rebuild our own defense industrial base.

“Mr. President, I urge our colleagues to recognize the perilous times that we are living in and vote for this national security bill.  It is critical.

“Thank you, Mr. President.”

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