ICYMI: Senator Collins Interviewed on CBS’s “Face the Nation”

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Washington, D.C. - This morning, U.S. Senator Susan Collins discussed tax reform and other topics on CBS’s “Face the Nation” with host John Dickerson.

A transcript of the interview follows:

“Face the Nation”

December 10, 2017

DICKERSON: We want to turn now to Maine’s Republican Senator Susan Collins. Welcome, Senator. We have some important tax business to get to, but I want to stay with this question of the revolution going on in the way that sexual assault is being dealt with. This week the Republican National Committee supported Roy Moore. You do not support him.  You say you believe his accusers.  Your colleague Republican Ben Sasse wrote this, “I believe the women and RNC previously did, too, what's changed? Or is the party just indifferent?” You're a Republican, what do you think about the RNC supporting Roy Moore?

COLLINS: I'm disappointed that the RNC has resumed its support of Roy Moore. I think that is a mistake. I would point out that I did not support Mr. Moore even prior to these allegations of sexual misconduct because I was concerned about his anti-Muslim comments, his anti-LGBT comments, and also, most important of all, he's been removed twice from the Alabama Supreme Court for failure to follow lawful judicial orders.

DICKERSON: You also, with the news about Al Franken this week you called for him to resign. Are you closer to the Democratic Party on these issues than the Republican Party?

COLLINS: I think Republicans care just as much as Democrats about sexual misconduct and sexual harassment. There's a new awakening in our country that this is pervasive, whether we're talking about Hollywood or Wall Street or the media or Capitol Hill. And that's why I’m joining a bipartisan group of senators who are trying to look at our own procedures on Capitol Hill to [en]sure that allegations of sexual misconduct involving members or staff are dealt with seriously.

DICKERSON: Last question on this before taxes, on the question of procedures, the Senate might have a decision to make with Roy Moore if he's elected. Here is something that I’m trying to work through. With the president there were these accusations, they were adjudicated in the election, the White House says, so the voters knew about them and they voted for him and now he's president. Why wouldn't that same standard apply to Roy Moore? The voters of Alabama know exactly what has been alleged. If he gets elected, what business does the Senate have the voters they’re wrong?

COLLINS: I think that's the tough question. If the allegations are known prior to the election, which they weren't in the case of Al Franken, for example, then we have a very tough decision to make about whether it's our role as senators to overturn the will of the people. I think it's a different situation if the allegations are not known or if they occur while the person is sitting in the Senate.

DICKERSON: Let me go on to taxes. You voted for the Senate tax cut bill, but you seem to be having qualms, questions, about this conference report. Where are you on things now?

COLLINS: I always wait until the final version of the bill is brought before us before I make a final decision on whether or not to support it. There are major differences between the House and Senate bills, and I don't know where the bill is going to come out. I also obviously care very much about amendments that I was successful in getting in the bill that particularly helped middle-income families, and I’m also concerned about agreements that I have.

DICKERSON: Let me ask you about two of those agreements. One is on Medicare. You got an agreement from Leader McConnell and Paul Ryan that there would not be these automatic Medicare cuts afterwards. Paul Ryan seemed to suggest maybe he wasn't party to that agreement, what is -- where do things stand on that agreement?

COLLINS: I have written correspondence that memorializes the agreement that the four percent cut in Medicare that could go into effect will not go into effect. I would point out that that law has been waived 16 times. It has never been implemented. But I don't want seniors to have the anxiety of wondering whether the tax bill somehow is going to trigger a cut in Medicare. I'm absolutely confident. I have it in writing, a statement by both Mitch McConnell and Speaker Ryan.

DICKERSON: The waiving of the so-called PAYGO rules. Let me ask you about seniors and seniors in Maine: The other thing you got a commitment on as I understand it is that there would be legislation that would come up before the end of the year dealing with these cost-sharing payments. There's a piece of legislation sponsored by Alexander and Murray. What is happening with that, because in the House, Republicans are being told that's not going to be part of anything before the end of the year, which means without those cost sharing payments, premiums are going up for Maine seniors.

COLLINS: I have had a lot of conversations, not only with my colleagues in the Senate, but with my colleagues on the House side and with the White House. I’ve talked to the president three times about this issue, and once again I have no reason to believe that that commitment will not be kept. After all, who wants to see health insurance premiums become more unaffordable than they already are for individuals who are buying insurance in the individual market. And our two bills, one that I have with Bill Nelson and the Alexander-Murray bill, will exert downward pressure on premiums and make it more affordable.

DICKERSON: There is one critique of that, though, that your legislation helped the condition before this tax bill which has the removal of that individual mandate, and that basically these fixes won't be enough for those people who will see higher premium increases.

COLLINS: We have a brand new study that just came out last week by Avalere, a respected consulting firm, that says it will more than offset the repeal of the individual mandate. Keep in mind that the individual mandate fines fall disproportionately on low- and middle-income families. Eighty percent of those fines are paid by families who make less than $50,000 a year.

DICKERSON: All right. Senator, I’m afraid we’re going to have to leave it there. Thank you so much for being with us.

COLLINS: Thank you, John.